Why it works: Sugar and gelatin are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,778 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Preserves, Jellies & Jams
Ingredients
Directions
Use white granulated sugar for best results.
Select fruit that is not too ripe for better flavor and easier jelling.
Strain the jelly twice, first through a sifter and then through a fine towel or flannel bag.
Allow the jelly to hang in a cloth bag overnight for clarity.
Use a wide-bottomed porcelain kettle for making jelly.
Boil the jelly hard for 20 minutes to thicken.
If a light color is desired, add a little gelatin and reduce cooking time.
Once in glasses, place jelly in the sun to cool.
Dip writing paper in brandy and cover the jelly, securing it with a rubber band.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Sugar + gelatintop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,778 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Sugar + brandytop 19% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together11,939 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Gelatin + brandytop 30% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together62 recipes
Sugar and brandy barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 11,939 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
You might also like
Brandy Peaches68 recipes
Brandy Cream21 recipes
Brandy Pudding13 recipes
White Cake431 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.