Why it works: Sugar and orange are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 20% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 19,212 recipes. Both carry beta-damascenone, which smells apple, rose. The science ↓
Apple Jelly
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the apples
Peel and core fine flavored apples; cut in large pieces and boil in very little water.
When done put through a hair sieve; press them so as to get all the juice.
Make the jelly
For every quart of jelly take 1 pound of white sugar; boil it in the water which was used for the fruit, and skin it.
Add the juice of the apples with the juice of four oranges squeezed into each quart.
Boil 1/2 hour and keep it ready for use.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
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. See the original page.
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 + orangetop 20% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together19,212 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Sugar and orange barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 19,212 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 (in the method)
- Provide the pectin and tart flavor that give the jelly its set and body.
- White sugar
- Sweetens the jelly and helps it set into a firm, clear gel.
- Oranges
- Add acidity and bright citrus aroma that balance the sweetness.
The step that matters
Boil 1/2 hour. Boiling concentrates the sugar and fruit juice until the pectin can form a gel. Boiling too briefly leaves the jelly runny, while overcooking can make it stiff or cloudy.
“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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