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 ↓
Rose Jelly Gum Drops
Ingredients
Directions
Make the syrup
Combine 18 lbs of sugar and 3 quarts of water in a large pot; stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Cook the mixture over medium heat until it reaches 240°F (115°C).
Flavor and shape
Remove from heat and add 3 sheets of gelatin.
Add pink food coloring and rose flavoring to taste.
Pour the mixture into warm starch in your desired shapes.
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.
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Sugar + gelatintop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,778 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
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Sugar + rosetop 25% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,584 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Gelatin + rosetop 36% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together25 recipes
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Sugar
- Forms the bulk of the candy and, once cooked to temperature, sets into a firm, chewy texture.
- Gelatin
- Provides the elastic, chewy bite that gives gummies their characteristic texture as it sets.
- Water
- Dissolves the sugar so it can be cooked evenly into a syrup.
The step that matters
Cooking the syrup to 240°F (115°C). The final temperature controls how much water remains. Cooking too little leaves the gummies soft and sticky, while cooking too far makes them hard. Holding the target temperature sets the texture.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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