Why it works: Butter and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 17% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 98,233 recipes. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓
Cranberry Pie
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the cranberries
Pick out the cranberries, then wash them in cold water.
Place the cranberries in a pot with enough cold water to cover them.
Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Add the sugar.
Continue to simmer until the cranberries are soft.
Rub the mixture through a sieve with a wooden spoon.
Let the mixture cool.
Assemble and bake
Prepare a plain pie crust.
Line a pie plate with the crust, building a rim around the edge.
Fill the crust with the cooled cranberry mixture.
Cut strips of crust and arrange the strips in a diamond shape across the top.
Bake in a moderate oven at 350°F (175°C) until golden.
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.
-
Butter + sugartop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together98,233 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Cranberries
- Provide the tart fruit flavour and, once softened and sieved, the body of the filling.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the tart cranberries and helps create a smooth, thick filling as it cooks.
- Butter
- Adds richness and fat, contributing flavour and a tender texture.
The step that matters
Simmering until the cranberries are soft. Cranberries must be cooked fully until soft so they break down and can be pressed through a sieve. Undercooked berries leave a grainy, seedy texture and a filling that does not set smoothly.
“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
White Cake431 recipes
Pound Cake373 recipes
Orange Bundt Cake349 recipes
Spice Cake344 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.