Why it works: Nutmeg and cinnamon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 11,917 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
Blackberry Cordial
Ingredients
Directions
Combine blackberry juice and white sugar in a pot.
Add grated nutmeg and pulverized cinnamon tied in a muslin bag.
Boil the mixture and skim off any scum that rises.
Once no more scum appears, remove from heat and let cool.
Stir in the brandy.
If desired, add cloves and allspice.
Bottle and seal the cordial.
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.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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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Nutmeg + cinnamontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together11,917 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
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Cinnamon + clovetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together14,189 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).
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Clove + allspicetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together7,874 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
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Cinnamon + allspicetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,536 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
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Nutmeg + allspicetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,331 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Blackberry juice
- Provides the main fruit flavour and colour, and most of the liquid base.
- White sugar
- Adds sweetness and body, and helps preserve the cordial.
- Brandy
- Adds alcohol that helps preserve the cordial and contributes warmth of flavour.
The step that matters
Skim off the scum while boiling. Scum is foam and impurities that rise as the juice and sugar heat. Removing it before cooling keeps the cordial clear and prevents off flavours and cloudiness.
“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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