Why it works: Raisin and cinnamon are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,390 recipes. Both carry 1-octen-3-ol, which smells mushroom, earthy. The science ↓
Upside-down Apple-Raisin Tart
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Heat oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl combine apples, raisins, cinnamon, and ¼ cup sugar. Toss to coat.
Tilt or spread melted margarine on the sides and bottom of a 10” pie plate or casserole.
Sprinkle bottom of pie plate with ¼ cup sugar.
Distribute apple and raisin mixture over sugar.
Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over the top of fruit.
Place pie crust over the apples, tucking edge over apples.
Bake and serve
Bake for 25 minutes.
Cover crust loosely with foil and bake 25 minutes more.
Place serving plate upside down over pie plate and immediately turn tart upside down onto serving plate.
Serve warm with frozen yogurt.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 6 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Apple | 1 medium (182g) | 95 |
| Grape | 1/2 cup (76g) | 62 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp ground (2.6g) | 6 |
| Pie Crust | 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.
-
Raisin + cinnamontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,390 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
-
Apple + cinnamontop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,598 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).
-
Cinnamon + sugartop 10% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together30,779 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Apple + raisintop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,920 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Raisin + sugartop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,481 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Cinnamon and sugar barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 30,779 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
- Apples
- Provide the bulk of the filling and tart fruit flavor that balances the sweetness.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the filling and, on the pie plate bottom, caramelizes to form the glossy topping.
- Margarine or butter
- Coats the pan so the caramel releases cleanly and adds richness to the fruit.
- Raisins
- Add concentrated sweetness and chewy texture among the apple slices.
- Pie crust
- Forms the pastry layer that bakes over the fruit and becomes the top once inverted.
The step that matters
Turning the tart upside down. Inverting while the sugar and fat are still hot and fluid lets the caramel run down over the crust and keeps the fruit from sticking. If it cools too long, the caramel sets and the tart can tear or stick to the pan.
Swap the apple
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (raisin, cinnamon, sugar, butter):
- Vanillafits better
- Figfits better
- Applethe original
- Orangefits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against raisin, cinnamon, sugar, butter. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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.
You might also like
Apple Pudding256 recipes
Apple Cake80 recipes
Apple Meringue75 recipes
Cinnamon Rolls71 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.