Help - What to do with redcurrants and blackcurrants ?

sooty&sweep

Hi

The previous owner of our hous planted red currant and black currant bushes.

I went into the garden this afternoon and dicovered them covered in ripe fruit and I've picked it.

Just not sure what to do with it now ?

I know I could make jam or jelly with it. Although I'm not prepared with jars etc I do have sugar in the cupboard. Has anyone ever made a black and redcurrant preserve before now ? I've had a quick look and I can't see a combined recipe.

Any suggestions of something quick and easy ?

Thanks

Jen

Money_maker

No suggestions at the mo other than to freeze then do a jelly when you're more organised.

quietheart

I boil up redcurrants and/or blackcurrants with some caster sugar for 5 mins, drain through sieve and use as fruit cordial, store in fridge and it goes in no time!
or you could try fruit leathers but i find them soo messy
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_fruit_leather/
think it works better with bigger berries though.

stilernin

Blackcurrant gin!!

Take 1 Kilner jar or similar and 1/3 fill with sugar. Top up with blackcurrants and then fill with the cheapest gin you can find. Agitate every week until just before Christmas and then pour through a sieve into bottles.

Enjoy!!

annie123

I love Sorbets

2 handfuls of currents (red or black or mixed)
2 oz icing sugar (have used up to 4 but I don't like it too sweet)
1/2 large tub of plain yogurt (I use sainsburys basics 25p for 1/2 tub)

Put everything into food mixer/blender for a 1-2 mins
quick taste test, add more icing sugar or yogurt if needed,
place in freezer in a shallow container, for 1 hour
remove and mix up to break ice crystals,
replace in freezer then repeat,
then back in freezer and remove to fridge 1/2 hour before serving.

yummy and cheap:D

katholicos

if you have space in the freezer you could always store them and use them for a Christmas pavlova or dessert of some kind...frozen fruit costs so much to buy and always tastes better when you have produced it yourself. Just think of the compliments you will have on Christmas Day :-)

Primrose

I'm about to find myself in the same situation and will be freezing mine until I'm more organised. Last year I made redcurrant jelly, and mixed some with blackberries and plums to make delicious fruit compotes. I bag mine up in two ways. Some separately, and others in mixtures, to which I add other fruits such as raspberries, blackberries or plums as they come in season, so that I've got some ready made compote mixes which cook quickly in the microwave with a little sugar added.
You can also add ripened elderberries & other soft fruit, simmer down until the juice runs, sieve them, & add sugar to make fruit syrups. These make lovely hot drinks in winter.

Kay_Peel

I make batches of quick and easy 'Microwave Jam' using whatever fruit I happen to have available - rhubarb, tayberry, blackcurrant, raspberry, redcurrant or whatever.

Wash the fruit, weigh it, put in a microwaveable bowl and add the same weight in (any kind of) sugar: ie a pound of fruit needs a pound of sugar. Add some juice from a lemon. You need one lemon for every pound of fruit. Leave out the lemon if you prefer a soft 'coulis' that will be eaten straightaway or kept in the fridge for a week.

Heat for 3 minutes on high, remove and stir. Repeat the '3 minutes and stir' a few times. A huge batch of fruit will need about 10 - 15 minutes in the microwave. A small batch might only need 3 minutes. Test it to see if it's set (ie put a blob on a plate, leave it for a few minutes and then push it with your finger. If it's runny, return to the microwave. If it crinkles, then it's set)

Cool and put in a jar or jars.

Gorgeous!

cootambear

Freeze em and use for crumbles. The redcurrants are a bit err`bracing` so youll need plenty of other fruit inn the mix, and plenty of sugar.

Penelope_Penguin

sooty&sweep wrote: »

Has anyone ever made a black and redcurrant preserve before now ? I've had a quick look and I can't see a combined recipe.

I make Jumbleberry jam What you can do is use the quantities for half of 2 recipes and combine them in one batch, IYSWIM

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

RAS

Assuming you have loads of fruit, find a recipe for black currant jam and one for redcurrant jelly. Get enough sugar and jars for both recipes. Simmer and strain the redcurrants, start making the blackcurrant jam but at the point when you have it mushy and would add the sugar, add the redcurrant juice, stir and then all the sugar. Carry on as normal.

But if you do not have jars etc, freeze the fruit now and deal with it later.

or

make a rather tart summer pudding
sorbets
fruit vodka or gin
bottled fruit
home made wines
cordials