At a loss with what to do with your currants? Drove Orchards, advised by the many erudite foodies on Twitter, has compiled a list of simple but sparkling recipes to try at home. We welcome your own contributions, via comments, email or tweets.
Whitecurrant Ice Cream
Put 1lb Whitecurrants with 50z Sugar and a splash of Water in a pan. Stew very gently until soft. Puree and then mix with 1 pt Double Cream. Put in Ice-Cream Maker until frozen.
Rumtopf
Literally meaning “Pot of Rum”,
this Germanic tradition of preserving involves layering fresh fruits, Rum and Sugar in a large Ceramic Jar:
To 1lb of fruit add up to ½ lb of sugar and cover well with Rum. (Try with: Gooseberries, Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, Whitecurrants, Strawberries, Loganberries, Raspberries…)
Summer Pudding
Poach a mixture of Red, White and Blackcurrants, adding Sugar to taste. Line a bowl with slightly stale good White Bread. Fill with the Berries, place further Bread and a weighted plate on top. Leave squishing overnight in the fridge. Turn out and serve with cream.
Red, White and Blackcurrant Muffins
Mix 125g of currants with 175g Plain Flour, 2tsps Baking Powder, 100g Caster Sugar and a pinch of Salt. Beat 60g Unsalted Butter with one Egg and 120ml Milk. Fold the dry mixture into the wet. Spoon into Muffin tins and bake at 180C for 20-25 mins.
Redcurrant Frozen Yogurt
Ever so simple:
Blend 500g Redcurrants with 100g of Sugar and a 500ml pot of your favourite Yogurt. Put in the Ice-Cream Maker until frozen.
Redcurrant Jelly
Place two punnets of Redcurrants, stalks removed, in a jam pan. Cover with water, bring to the boil then simmer for at least an hour.
Strain Overnight.
For every 1lt of strained liquid add 1kg of sugar. Place in a jam pan, stir until sugar part-dissolved. Put on the heat and bring gently to setting-point. Pot in warmed, sterilised jars.
Bar-Le-Duc Jelly
For a timeless epicurean Jelly Recipe: Heat 3kg of Sugar in 1lt Water (or dry White Wine!) to 110C. Add 1kg of Currants and gently take to setting point (105C). Remove from heat, cool slightly, stir and pot in sterilised jars.
Serve these jellies with cold meats, game or cheese. Or use the Redcurrant Jelly to make your very own Cumberland Sauce.
Whitecurrant Fact
Did you know?
Whitecurrants are very high in Pectin. Use when jam-making to help your jam set.
Why not try Redcurrant Cheesecake or Black, White and Redcurrant layered Sorbet. And, there's surely some Syllabubs and some Fools to attempt too...
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With many Thanks to Sarah Pettegree (@brays_cottage); Barendina Smedley (@fugitiveink); Nicky Bender (@wotatreat); Huw Sayer (@HuwSayer); Signe Johansen (@scandilicious); Lynne Clark (@josodorni); Mrs Mushrooms (@mushroomsmrs); Jules Jackson (@dehyphenlish) .... amazing Twitter crew who collaborated in concocting the above recipes.
