Why it works: Sugar and red currant 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
Prepare
Gather raspberries in fine weather and use them as soon as possible.
Remove the stalks and place the raspberries in a preserving pan.
Cook the jam
Break the raspberries with a wooden spoon and boil for 30 minutes, stirring well.
Add the red currant juice and sugar, then boil again for 30 minutes.
Skim the jam well after adding the sugar to ensure it is clear.
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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Sugar + red curranttop 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
- Provide the main fruit flavour and the pectin-rich pulp that thickens the jam as it boils.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the jam and helps it set by binding water and preserving the fruit.
- Red currant juice
- Adds acidity and natural pectin, supporting a firm set and bright flavour.
The step that matters
Skimming after adding the sugar. Foam rises as the sugar dissolves and boils. Removing it keeps the jam clear and free of froth, which would otherwise cloud its appearance.
“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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