Why it works: Currant and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 26% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 12,256 recipes. The science ↓
Cherry Jam
Ingredients
Directions
In a large pot, combine the sugar and currants. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
Add the pitted cherries and continue cooking until the mixture becomes glassy.
Gently fold in the raspberries and cook for a few more minutes.
Pour the jam into jelly glasses and let cool.
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.
-
Currant + sugartop 26% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together12,256 recipes
Currant and sugar barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 12,256 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
- Currants
- Their natural pectin and acidity help the jam thicken and set.
- Cherries
- They add bulk, fruity flavor and body to the jam.
- Raspberries
- They add bright aroma and extra fruit flavor folded in near the end.
- Sugar
- It sweetens the jam, helps it set and preserves it.
The step that matters
Cooking until glassy. Cook until the mixture looks glassy and thick enough to set, since undercooked jam stays runny and overcooked jam can turn sticky or caramelized. Sugar concentration and heat drive the gel formation.
“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.
More cherry jam recipes
You might also like
Red Currant Jelly65 recipes
Currant Ice Cream32 recipes
Currant Sherbet9 recipes
Currant and Raspberry Ice7 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.