Why it works: Currant and brandy are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,057 recipes. Both carry ethyl cinnamate, which smells sweet, balsamic. The science ↓
Jams and Jellies
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the berries by washing and mashing them.
Combine the mashed berries with sugar in a pot.
Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
To test for doneness, place a small amount on a plate and let it cool; it should look dry and glistening.
Pour the jam into sterilized jars or glasses.
Seal the jars with alcohol-dipped paper or egg white-brushed larger papers.
Store in a cool, dry, dark place.
Check for mold or fermentation every two to three weeks for the first two months.
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 + brandytop 7% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,057 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).
-
Brandy + eggtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,340 recipes
Shared aroma: acetoin (butter, cream).
-
Sugar + brandytop 19% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together11,939 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Currant + eggtop 26% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together8,734 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
Sugar and brandy barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 11,939 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
Swap the currant
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (sugar, brandy, egg):
- Vanillafits better
- Raisinfits better
- Apricotfits about as well
- Currantthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against sugar, brandy, egg. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
You might also like
Brandy Peaches68 recipes
Red Currant Jelly65 recipes
Currant Ice Cream32 recipes
Brandy Cream21 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.