Bottled Black Currants Recipes

BLACK CURRANT COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Pour juice in a champagne flute and top with Prosecco.

BLACK CURRANT SCHNAPPS - SWEDEN

Steps:

• Add the black currants and the mint to an empty, clean bottle.
• Add the sugar cubes and pour in the ABSOLUT VODKA.
• Leave it four about one week before serving.

HOMEMADE BLACK CURRANT WINE

Steps:

• Add sugar or honey to boiling water to dissolve.
• Allow to cool to 105* F.
• Add yeast and yeast energizer, stir, then cover with cloth.
• While allowing the yeast time to wakeup (1 hour) sterilize the stopper and airlock.
• Open the quart bottle of juice or nectar and pour out 1 and 1/4 cup of it (this doesn't need to be saved.).
• Add the mixture to the juice/nectar, put the lid on and invert the bottle a couple of times to mix up the two.
• Insert your sterilized bottle stop and then insert your airlock into that.
• Add water to the airlock, enough to meet the watermark in both chambers.Place it in a warm area and let it sit until the airlock bubbles only every 3 minutes or so. (one to two weeks).
• Once the fermentation has slowed down considerably, pour (or 'rack' with a siphoning tube) to a bottle of the same size. This will separate your wine from the 'lees' (the dead yeast that accumulate in the bottom of the bottle).
• Remove 1 cup of the wine and taste test or dispose of. It's not needed at this point. If the fermentation went well it won't be sweet at all at this point.
• Add another cup of warm sugarwater (1/2 water & 1/2 sugar dissolved) to the bottle and reinsert the stopper and airlock (sterilized again if necessary).
• Let ferment until the airlock is bubbling once every five minutes.
• 'Rack' again and at this point you can either drink the wine or let it age for another two months before enjoying.

BLOODY BLACK CURRANT PUNCH

Steps:

• Stir brandy and sugar in a large bowl. Add nectar; stir to combine. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. Punch can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days. Add seltzer just before serving.

BLACK CURRANT CURD

Steps:

• Combine sugar and egg yolks in a saucepan. Gradually stir in black-currant juice. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow mixture to boil, or it will curdle.
• Remove from heat and whisk mixture until slightly cooled. Stir in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and add cassis. Refrigerate until ready to use.

BOTTLED BLACK CURRANTS

Steps:

• Put the sugar into a pan with 2 1/2 cups of water and heat gently to dissolve, then boil for 1 minute to make a syrup.
• Prepare the black currants by removing any twiggy stems and rinsing the fruit if necessary. Pack the currants as tightly as possible, but without crushing, into warm, sterilized jars (see p. 152). If using verbena or geranium leaves, layer 2 or 3 among the little purple-black fruits as you go.
• Cover the packed fruit with the hot syrup (140°F), filling the jars to the brim. Fasten with screw-bands or clips. If using screw-bands, remember to tighten them and then release by a quarter of a turn (see p. 156). Place a folded tea towel in the bottom of a large pan (which must be deeper than your jars are tall). Fill the pan with warm water (100°F), then submerge the jars completely.
• Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Bring the water slowly to the simmering point (190°F) over 25 minutes, then maintain this temperature for just 2 minutes.
• Lift the jars out and place on a wooden surface or a folded tea towel. Tighten screw-bands. Leave undisturbed for 24 hours. To check that they are properly sealed, remove the clips or screw-bands and lift the jars by their lids (see p. 158). Store in a cool, dark place. Use within 1 year.