Why it works: Red currant and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 26% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,156 recipes. Both carry 2,3-butanedione, which smells butter, sweet. The science ↓
Raspberry Jam
Ingredients
Directions
Combine raspberries and red currant juice in a pot.
Add sugar and bring to a boil.
Boil for 15 to 20 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises.
Alternatively, use raspberries alone without red currant juice.
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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Red currant + sugartop 26% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,156 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,3-butanedione (butter, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Raspberries
- Supply the main fruit flavor and the bulk of the jam.
- Red currant juice
- Adds tartness and natural pectin to help the jam set.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness, preserves the fruit, and helps the jam thicken as it sets.
The step that matters
Boiling for 15 to 20 minutes. Sugar, fruit acid and pectin set into a gel only at a sufficient boil and sugar concentration. Boiling too briefly leaves the jam runny, while boiling too long can make it stiff and dull in flavor. Skimming foam keeps the jam clear.
“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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