Tag: Blackcurrant

Blackcurrant Jam

The secret of soft fruit jams is to cook the fruit before adding the sugar. The fruit should be tender; try simmering very slowly for around 15 minutes. Blackcurrants are very flavourful, and full of pectin, so this is a very straightforward jam to make.

For jars, I wash these in the dishwasher, and then put the lids into boiling water and the jars into the oven at 80 C.  

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 kg blackcurrants
  • 1.25 kg granulated sugar
  • 800 ml water

METHOD:

  • simmer the fruit and water until the blackcurrants are soft
  • stir in the sugar and cook slowly until the sugar has dissolved
  • Boil rapidly to the setting point. I use the cold saucer technique, so that a drop of hot jam on a cold saucer forms a wrinkle when pushed with a finger.
  • Pour into heated jars, and put the dried lids on. 

Blackcurrants go well with blueberries, blackberries, figs, grapes, lemon, lime, passion fruit, pears, raspberry, redcurrent, strawberries, ginger, mint, rosemary and thyme. You can also add rose or vanilla essence. If I am mixing flavours, I usually stick to two. Blackcurrant and mint is a favourite. 

Blackcurrant and rhubarb jam

What a dark summer we have had, not enough sun to bring on some of the fruit. I didn’t get a great crop on my blackcurrant bushes, so I made this recipe to make the fruit go further. It was a great success, and set very well. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 500g blackcurrants
  • 500g chopped rhubarb
  • 1kg jam sugar
  • 300ml water

METHOD:

  • Simmer the blackcurrants in the water for around 15 minutes
  • Add the rhubarb and simmer until soft
  • Add the sugar, stir to dissolve it, and then boil rapidly to setting point. 
  • Pour into clean jars that have been warmed in the oven. 

You can use cooking apples instead of rhubarb as well; rub the cooked fruit through a sieve or fine mouli to remove the pips.