black and redcurrants

[buzzingtalk]

I am about to aquire a lot of red and blackcurrants, how would you use them? I will end up eating quite a few, but what can you make? I am talking about 1kg of each, more or less. I am guessing jam...but haven't made any before and it looks quite hard and specific? Is it feasable to make a decent jam the first time

[rustylady]

I am about to aquire a lot of red and blackcurrants, how would you use them? I will end up eating quite a few, but what can you make? I am talking about 1kg of each, more or less. I am guessing jam...but haven't made any before and it looks quite hard and specific? Is it feasable to make a decent jam the first time

Jam or jelly isn't hard to make. Loads of recipes on the internet, and probably on here. Basically 1 kilo of sugar to one kilo of fruit.

[scarey55]

I would make jelly rather than jam, I don't like the pips but, either way, it is dead easy to make. I am making some currant wine with black and red currants and I also fancy having a go at summer pudding sometime.

[Two_Sheds]

BT, if you're daunted by making jam, I'll swap your fruit for some jam 'I made earlier' ... I'm in Norwich most days

[buzzingtalk]

oohhh, yum yum I will have to weigh it in, but i got 3 large punnets of redcurrants and 2 of whitecurrants (which are well on the way to getting eaten). i am going back in a week or two for blackcurrants, can get them very cheap if you want some? OH's aunty has a currant farm

[Two_Sheds]

No, no, got far too much stuff in the freezer already, thanks though

[chris]

I recently made blackcurrant cordial, from a link I got from zaz - britishlarder.co.uk - very tasty indeed. Making some more as soon as I can get back down the plot to pick some more

[buzzingtalk]

I'm going to go for some jam as I am not keen on jelly...there aren't many recipes for straight up redcurrant jam though? i have never made jam before and the recipes (2) i have found are quite vague about the process...how does it work? how do you find 'setting point', what is a preserving pan, how do you 'prepare the jars'??

Any suggestions for whitecurrants? i think they'd be lovely with some elderflower and apples somehow, I might make a brew

Going to get lots of blackcurrants in a week or so, have lots more recipes for jam for blackcurrants online

[chris]

Jelly = Jam without the bits!

[Nicos]

I once made white currant jelly- and it was utterly tasteless!
(I too had no idea what to do with them.)
Red currant jelly had a bit more flavour and was brill for glazing the tops of fruit tarts!

[buzzingtalk]

ahh i see, i thought people were talking about the horrible jelly stuff (which thankfully i cant eat anyway due to being vegan!)

Would currant jelly be better than a jam due to the bits? i don't find they bother me much but i guess they will for a lot of people. It seems a lot harder to make jelly due to straining etc but might do half and half

[Two_Sheds]

^ jelly isn't hard to do, just a bit more time consuming. You let the stuff drip through a jelly bag overnight

How to make jam

[Snadger]

ahh i see, i thought people were talking about the horrible jelly stuff (which thankfully i cant eat anyway due to being vegan!)

Would currant jelly be better than a jam due to the bits? i don't find they bother me much but i guess they will for a lot of people. It seems a lot harder to make jelly due to straining etc but might do half and half

Jellies quite wasteful! You get more bang for your bucks with jam!

Only soft fruit I prefer jelly for is raspberry which is just too bitty when made as a jam.

[Two_Sheds]

I agree Snadge ~ blackberry is too pippy for me too

[Scarlet]

I recently made blackcurrant cordial, from a link I got from zaz - britishlarder.co.uk - very tasty indeed. Making some more as soon as I can get back down the plot to pick some more

I'm going to give this cordial recipe a go - do you know how long it keeps in the fridge?