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 ↓
Gooseberry Jam
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the juice
Prepare 1 quart of red currant juice as for jelly.
In a preserving pan, combine the juice and sugar, stirring until dissolved.
Boil for about 5 minutes, then skim well.
Make the jam
Add the gooseberries and boil for 30 to 45 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to an earthen pan and let it sit for 2 days.
Boil the jam again until it looks clear.
Pot and store
Pour into pots, cover with oiled paper, and seal with tissue paper brushed with egg white.
Store in a dry place.
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.
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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
- Red-currant juice
- Provides the natural pectin and acidity that help the jam set.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the jam and helps it thicken as it cooks.
- Gooseberries
- Supply the fruit body and flavour of the jam.
The step that matters
Skimming and the second boil. Skimming removes foam and scum so the jam stays clear, and boiling again after the resting period drives off excess water so the jam sets properly rather than staying runny.
“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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