Why it works: Lemon and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 18% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 53,532 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Lekvar Prune Plum Filling
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the prunes
Simmer ingredients covered 25-30 minutes until very soft and most of water is evaporated.
Uncover last few minutes if necessary.
Mash, sweeten and store
Remove from heat and mash.
Stir in brown sugar.
You can keep Lekvar in the refrigerator for a long time.
Put it in a canning jar.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 4 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Prune | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
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.
-
Lemon + sugartop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together53,532 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Lemon and sugar barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 53,532 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
What each ingredient does
- Pitted prunes
- Provide the bulk and body of the jam once softened and mashed.
- Lemon juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavour and balances the sweetness.
- Brown sugar
- Adds sweetness and a deeper, molasses-like flavour.
- Lemon rind
- Adds fragrant citrus aroma from the oils in the zest.
The step that matters
Simmer until very soft and most water is gone. Cooking until the prunes fully break down and the water evaporates concentrates the flavour and gives a thick, spreadable texture. If stopped early, the jam stays loose and watery and the fruit pieces stay firm when mashed.
“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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