Currant Recipes

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup almond paste

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream

3 large egg whites

1 cup red wine

1 cup fresh red currants

Heat the oven to 375° F. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. Place the almond paste and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl and beat, using a mixer set on medium speed, until combined. Add the whole egg and beat for 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat until the milk solids turn golden brown. Immediately remove the butter from the heat, cool slightly, and beat it and the heavy cream into the almond mixture. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the flour mixture. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to firm peaks. Fold the whites into the almond batter using a whisk. Do not over mix. Divide the batter among six 3-inch nonstick tartlet pans (about 1/3 cup batter per mold) and bake until golden brown -- 16 to 18 minutes.

Cool cakes on a wire rack for 10 minutes, release from the mold, and cool. Bring the wine and remaining 1/4 cup sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it is reduced by half. Cool slightly and toss with the fresh currants. Serve with the cakes.

1 (3-ounce) package strawberry gelatin

1 (3-ounce) package raspberry gelatin

2 cups boiling water

2 cups cold water

1 (8-ounce) carton strawberry yogurt

1 (8-ounce) carton raspberry yogurt

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, unsweetened

1 (12-ounce) carton whipped topping

Additional fresh strawberries

In a large bowl, dissolve strawberry and raspberry gelatin in boiling water.  Stir in cold water and strawberry and raspberry yogurt until blended.  Chill until syrupy, about 1 hour. Fold in strawberries and whipped topping.  Chill until firm, about 4 hours.  Garnish with fresh berries if desired.

3 cups stemmed black currants

3 cups gooseberries, topped and tailed

1-1/2 cups water

1 pkg fruit pectin crystals

4 cups granulated sugar

In large Dutch oven and using potato masher, mash currants and gooseberries. Add water and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat, cover and simmer until berries are tender, about 10 minutes. Wet jelly bag and wring out; suspend on frame over large measuring cup or bowl. Fill with berry mixture and juices; let drip, pressing bag lightly, until juice measures 3 cups, about 2 hours. In large clean pot, bring juice and pectin to boil, stirring. Stir in sugar; bring to full rolling boil, stirring with wooden spoon. Boil vigorously, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam. Pour into five 1-cup hot canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch  headspace. If necessary, wipe rims. Cover with prepared lids; screw on bands fingertip tight. Boil in boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

1 pound black currants

1 cup granulated sugar

2 cups water

3/4 cup crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur
 

Place the blackcurrants, sugar, and 2 cups water in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the fruit to a simmer and cook it, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Place all the cooked fruit mixture and the crème de cassis in a food processor and blend them until the blackcurrants are smooth. Freeze the mixture in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Serve the blackcurrant sorbet immediately or freeze it for an additional hour for a hard set.

3 cups stemmed black currants

3 cups gooseberries, topped and tailed

1-1/2 cups water

1 pkg fruit pectin crystals

4 cups granulated sugar

This recipe's ingredients have been scaled and recalculated for your automated grocery list. The method still refers to the original recipe amounts. In a large Dutch oven and using potato masher, mash currants and gooseberries. Add water and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat, cover and simmer until berries are tender, about 10 minutes. Wet a jelly bag and wring out; suspend on frame over large measuring cup or bowl. Fill with berry mixture and juices; let drip, pressing bag lightly, until juice measures 3 cups, about 2 hours. In a large clean pot, bring juice and pectin to boil, stirring. Stir in sugar; bring to full rolling boil, stirring with wooden spoon. Boil vigorously, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam. Pour into five 1-cup hot canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. If necessary, wipe rims. Cover with prepared lids; screw on bands fingertip tight. Boil in boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

1 loaf (12 ounce) challah bread, cut into 3/4-inch slices and dried overnight (If you forget to dry the bread, place in oven for 30 minutes at 200° F and cool)

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup fresh red currants

3/4 cup fresh raspberries

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
 

Heat the oven to 325° F. Brush each slice of bread on both sides with the softened butter and cut each piece in half. Arrange the bread in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, overlapping the slices in concentric circles to resemble a flower design. Tuck 1/2 cup each of currants and raspberries between the bread slices. Whisk the eggs, yolks, 3/4 cup sugar, salt, vanilla, milk, and heavy cream together and pour over the bread. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup each of currants and raspberries on top, cover with 2 layers of aluminum foil, and seal around the rim. Press gently to help the bread absorb the liquid. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Bake for 40 minutes, remove the foil, sprinkle the pudding with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, and increase the oven temperature to 350° F. Bake until the pudding is set and the top is golden brown -- 25 more minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

1/2 quart red wine vinegar

3 1/3 pounds red currants, stemmed

1 1/2 pounds cane sugar

1 tablespoon shredded ginger root

A cinnamon stick, broken into bits

5-7 cloves

1 tablespoon green peppercorns

Put the herbs and spices in a gauze bag. Combine the sugar and vinegar in a steel pot, add the herb bag, and bring the mixture to a boil; boil it for 5 minutes and add the currants. Reduce the flame and simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sauce has thickened to the point that a drop on an inclined plate doesn't run down it immediately. Transfer the sauce to sterile jars, seal them, and when they have cooled store them in a cool dark place; they'll be ready in a week and keep for several months.
 

This currant sauce is perfect with boiled, roasted, or grilled meats, and, if sealed in a jar, will also keep nicely for several months in a cool dark place. If you don't have red currants you can use black currants, blueberries, or even gooseberries.

3/4 cup of currants

1/2 cup of Grand Marnier

1 Tbsp of finely grated orange zest

1 1/2 cups of salted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup of icing sugar

2 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour

1/3 cup of cornstarch

Icing sugar for rolling

Place the currants in a small bowl. Add the Grand Marnier and steep the currants overnight. Drain the currants well just before use. Pre-heat the oven to 300F. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside. Sift together the flour and cornstarch into a bowl. Set aside. Place the butter and icing sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the flour and cornstarch. Use a wooden spoon to mix in the currants and orange zest. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and divide among the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Chill the cookies in the fridge for 20 minutes. Bake the cookies 1 tray at a time for 20 minutes or until very pale golden around the edges. Cool the cookies on a cooling rack. If desired, sprinkle icing sugar on the cookies just before serving.

2 1/4 pounds currants that are just shy of being ripe

3/4 pound cherries

3/4 pound raspberries

Sugar

Stem and seed the fruit, crush it over a bowl, and then force the pulp through a strainer into the bowl. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to macerate for 3 to 4 days. Strain the juice through a filter paper into the top of a double boiler and add to it an equivalent volume of sugar. Heat, stirring gently, until the sugar is dissolved, then pour the syrup into sterile bottles, seal them, let them cool, and place them in a cool dark place (or the refrigerator). The three days of maceration serves to clarify the syrup: The mixture will begin to ferment and the opaque impurities will be trapped by the filter paper. You can also clarify the syrup using egg whites.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon honey

2 cups whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

3 strips (1/2-inch-wide) orange zest

5 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup whipped cream

3/4 cup red currants

2 1/2 cups blueberries

3/4 cup currant jelly
 

Make the crust: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 5 tablespoons of butter and toss with the crushed cookies and 1 tablespoon honey. Press into a 9- by 9- inch square tart pan. Bake until firm -- 12 to 15 minutes -- and cool completely.
 

Make the filling: Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water and place a slightly smaller bowl on top. Set aside. Heat the milk, vanilla bean and seeds, and the orange zest in a large saucepan just to a boil. Remove from the heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks, 1/4 cup honey, and sugar together in a large bowl until thick and pale yellow. Sift the flour and cornstarch over the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Reheat the milk just to a boil, and whisk a few tablespoons at a time into the egg mixture. Transfer back to the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens -- about 3 more minutes. Strain into the clean bowl of the ice bath. Dot with remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Cover with plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Cool completely.
 

Assemble the tart: Fold the whipped cream into the filling. Spread filling into the cookie shell and top with the currants and berries. Heat the jelly and 1 tablespoon water. Dab over the fruit. Chill for about 30 minutes.

Instant refreshment, currant-style: On a hot summer day, thoughts naturally turn to cold drinks. Make them colder -- and more brightly flavored -- with currants you've placed a few hours earlier in the freezer. Frozen currants spruce up fresh lemonade and make a cocktail more inviting. And to really bring the temperature down, add frozen berries to a scoop of lemon sorbet. Not so hot outside? Serve a cluster of frozen currants and a square of dark chocolate with a cup of Darjeeling tea.

Shortcrust pastry:
2.5 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp sea salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/4" cubes
3 tbsp ice-cold water or just enough to hold the pastry together

Frangipane:
4 ½ oz softened butter
4 1/2 oz icing sugar
1/2 tsp of almond extract
3 eggs
4 ½ oz almond flour
1 oz all purpose flour
Red currant jam
handfull of red currants, taken from the stalks
sugar to taste
little bit of lemon or lime to freshen it up if too sweet

Pastry: At least 30 minutes before rolling and baking (or up to 1 day in advance) prepare the pastry. In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a plastic blade, pulse together the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse rapidly, about 40-50 times, or until the butter is blended into the flour and is coarse and the size of small peas. Gradually add the water in a small trickle, with the processor running. Continue adding just as the pastry starts coming together in the shape of a loose, crumbly ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Form into a disc, about 1" high, and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Frangipane: Put the soft butter and the icing sugar in a mixing bowl and mix until creamy and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one mixing well in between. The mixture will start to look very curdled but don't worry, it will all work out in the end! Add the almond extract and while the machine is turning, add in the flour bit by bit.

Red currant jam: Make the red currant jam by putting the red currants into a small saucepan with a bit of sugar and boil until the sauce thickens a little bit. Taste it and add more sugar or a little bit of lemon to freshen up the taste a bit.

To Assemble: When ready to bake take out your dough from the fridge and put it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry quickly out till thin enough and lift it into whichever form you have prepared. (round,square, little or big) Line it carefully along the sides and remove the excess dough. Blind bake your pastry by lining it first with baking paper and then weighing it down with beans or rice. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for about 20 minutes. Take out the tins, remove the baking weights and brush your pastry with egg wash. Put it back into the oven and continue baking for another 10 minutes. Take out of the oven. Put a spoon of your red currant mix into the tins and spread it out to a thin layer across the bottom of your tins. Put the frangipane into your tarts and smooth the surface. Press the little mango pieces into your frangipane mix and make it look nice. Put back into the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Take out of the oven and leave to cool for a bit before taking it out of the forms

Cake:
½ lb (2 sticks) soft butter (plus a bit more for the pan)
5 room temperature medium or large organic eggs
1 ½ cup of caster sugar
½ cup of fresh cream
Grated zest of 1 organic lemon
Scraped seed of 1 vanilla pod
3 ½ oz of ground poppy seeds
1 2/3 cup of buckwheat flour (plus a bit more for the pan)
2 tablespoons of baking powder
 

Butter cream filling:
¼ lb of butter
6 oz of icing sugar
Grated zest of 1/2 organic lemon
A few tablespoons of cherry/strawberry/wild berries syrup
 

Decoration:
Icing sugar for dusting
½ cup of fresh red currants
 

All the ingredients should be at room temperature for optimal baking results, so be sure to take the butter, eggs and cream out of the refrigerator ahead of time. Preheat the oven to 350° F and brush an 8 inch round pan with butter and dust evenly with the flour. Beat the butter and sugar until creamy with the whisk of the hand mixer. Add gradually the eggs while mixing continuously. Wash the lemon with hot water and grate the zest on a fine grater directly into the bowl. Add the scraped seeds of one vanilla pod. Whisk in the fresh cream and the poppy seeds. Stir in the buckwheat flour and the baking powder. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake in the oven for 45 – 50 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then turn the pan onto a wire rack and remove it. Let it cool completely.
 

To make the filling, whip the butter at room temperature with the icing sugar, the grated zest of half of an organic lemon and a few tablespoons of your favorite berry syrup.
 

When the cake is completely cold, slice it horizontally and spread half of the cake it with the butter cream, sprinkle with half of the red currants and top it again with the second half of the cake. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with fresh red currants. Let it set at least half an hour in the refrigerator before serving it.

2 cups whole milk
3/5 cup heavy cream
1 ½ oz glucose
5 oz sugar
6 egg yolks
¼ lb raspberries
¼ lb red currants
1 oz sugar

Place the whole milk, heavy cream, glucose and half of the sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a light simmer. In the meantime, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a medium bowl. Temper the hot liquid into the egg yolks. Return this custard to the pan and cook until it coats the back of the spoon or about 184˚ F. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Chill it over an ice bath and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. In the meantime, cook the raspberries, red currants and sugar for about one minute until the fruit breaks down slightly and sugar dissolves. Strain the fruit through a fine sieve and chill this fruit syrup until ready to use. Churn the custard in the ice cream machine. When done, swirl in the red berry syrup, pour into container and freeze.

3 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (substitute black raspberry or black cherry gelatin mix for a similar result)
3 cups black currant juice, cold
8 tablespoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream, cold
2 3/4 cups fresh red currants, stemmed, rinsed, and patted dry

Stir the gelatin and 1 cup of the chilled juice together in a medium bowl and let sit for 2 minutes. Bring remaining 2 cups of juice and 6 tablespoons of sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir into the gelatin mixture and refrigerate until set. Beat the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and heavy cream to soft peaks. Layer the gelatin, whipped cream and fresh currants in six 8-ounce parfait glasses. Serve immediately.

Vanilla Ice Cream:
1 cup whole milk
A pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 

Red Berry Swirl:
8 oz red berries (suggest 5 oz red currants, 3 oz strawberries)
1 1/2 tablespoons of honey (to taste, may be more or less)

First, make the vanilla ice cream. Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan. (I waited until I saw the liquid steaming.) Scrape out the seeds of the vanilla bean with a paring knife and add to the milk, along with the bean pod. Cover, remove from heat, and let infuse for an hour.
 

Set up an ice bath by placing a 2 quart bowl inside a large bowl partially filled with water and ice. Put a strainer on top of the smaller bowl and pour in the cream.

In another bowl, stir the egg yolks together. Reheat the milk until warmed, then gradually pour some hot milk into the yolks, constantly whisking to keep the eggs from scrambling. Once the yolks are warmed, scrape the yolks and milk back into the saucepan and cook over low heat. Stir constantly and scrape the bottom with a spatula until the mixture thickens into a custard that coats the back of the spatula.

Strain the custard into the heavy cream and stir the mixture until cooled. Add the vanilla extract and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.

Meanwhile, make the red berry puree. Combine the berries and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and mash with a spoon, bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook until the berries are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Press the puree through a very fine sieve into a bowl. Press down to get all the juice out, leaving behind the seeds. Cool to room temperature and store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to use. (It’ll keep this way about a week.)

When you’re ready to churn the ice cream, remove the vanilla bean from the custard and freeze in an ice cream maker. Pour a third of the churned ice cream into a container, smooth the top with a spatula. Spread 1/2 of the berry puree over the ice cream. Top with half the remaining custard. Smooth the top and spread the remaining berry puree over it. Finally spread the last of the custard over the puree.

Freeze the ice cream until solid. When you drag the ice cream scoop through the container, the layers of berry puree will swirl through.

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange (save the juice)
.4 lb unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
2 eggs
¾ cup buttermilk
1 ½ tsp poppy seeds
¼ lb fresh red currants, washed and separated from stem
½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9″x5″ loaf pan and set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside. Stir the sugar and the orange zest together until well-combined and fragrant. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar/zest mixture together until light. Add the vanilla and orange extracts. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well until thoroughly incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Add the poppy seeds. Process the batter until smooth, about 15-20 seconds. Fold in the red currants.
 

To make the orange glaze, whisk the powdered sugar and orange juice until creamy. If needed, add more orange juice, a little at a time, until the correct consistency is achieved (thick, smooth, yet still liquid).
 

Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the cake is firm and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Cool for an hour and drizzle with orange glaze.  Let glaze set before serving.

2 c. red currants, washed and stemmed

1/3 c. sugar

3 Tblsp apple cider vinegar

1/3 c. water

1 Tblsp vegetable oil

1 Tblsp whole mustard seeds

10 whole black peppercorns

10 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

1 large onion, chopped into small pieces

1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, depending on your heat tolerance

In a small saucepan, bring currants, sugar, vinegar, and water to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until currants begin to fall apart, about 10-15 minutes.  Careful, this is a recipe that’s likely to boil over (and make a mess!), so leave your lid somewhat ajar or give it a stir frequently. Strain red currant mixture through a fine sieve, catching the juice in a bowl.  Press down on the currant solids to extract as much juice as possible.  Discard the solids, reserve the juice. Rinse out the saucepan and return to stove.  Heat vegetable oil in saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger, and salt, and fry until mustard seeds begin to pop, about one minute.  Warning, the hot mustard seeds can pop quite forcefully and splatter oil, so work quickly and carefully, removing pot from heat if need be. Add the onion to the spices, and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until onions are golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Add currant juice and cayenne pepper to pot, and stir.  Bring to a simmer, and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened.  Let cool and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter ramekins and set aside. In a small saucepan, gently toss together the red currants, 1/3 cup of sugar and orange zest. Simmer on very low heat until juices are released. Remove from heat. In a large metal mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Add flour, heavy cream and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. In another bowl, beat egg whites with salt for one minute. Add to flour mixture and combine thoroughly. Distribute the red currant mixture among your ramekins (you can reserve some to garnish the tops half way through the baking process). Pour batter over the red currants. Do not fill all the way as this dessert will puff up. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature dusted with powdered sugar.

1/2 c. plus 2/3 c. sugar

3 cups fresh red or white currants, washed and removed from their stems

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 c. flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/3 sticks salted butter (5.3 oz.), cut into cubes and chilled

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8×8 or an 11×7 inch cake pan and set aside. In a large bowl, gently stir together 1/2 cup of the sugar, the currants, and the cornstarch, until currants are coated with the sugar mixture. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the remaining 2/3 cup of sugar, the flour, the baking powder, and the salt until evenly combined. Add the chilled butter cubes and the egg, and use a pastry cutter or a fork to blend the butter and egg into the flour. When finished, dough will be crumbly with pea-sized chunks of butter. Press 2/3 of the dough into the prepared pan. Top with the currants. Clump the remaining dough together into a loose ball, then crumble it over the top of the currant mixture. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until currants are bubbly and top of crust is golden brown.

2 cups fresh red currants (about 1 pint) rinsed (save a few for garnish!)
6 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces
pinch of salt

In a saucepot, add the currants (stems and all) and a splash of water. Cook until the berries have burst and released all their juices. Use the back of a wooden spoon to gently help smoosh them. 

Strain the juice into a bowl pressing on the pulp to make sure you’ve gotten all the juice.  Stir half the currant juice (for a more tart curd, add about 3/4 of it), yolks and sugar together in the rinsed sauce pot and place over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add butter, 1 piece at a time, until incorporated. Scrap curd into a bowl and push a piece of plastic wrap right against the top of the curd (to prevent a skin forming). Refrigerate for at least an hour so it can set. Add this curd, if you wish, to granola to make parfaits.

3 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large egg yolks

1 cup fresh currants

In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. In the meantime, whisk together the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl. In a slow, steady stream, gradually add the hot cream mixture to the eggs, stirring constantly. Once well combined, transfer the custard back to the saucepan and continue to cook over medium-low heat until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir continuously. Strain the custard into a container and let it cool before transferring to the fridge. Once the mixture is chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and churn until frozen. Mix in the currants and transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

Make the red currant jam by putting the red currants into a small saucepan with a bit of sugar and boil until the sauce thickens a little bit.

Taste it and add more sugar or a little bit of lemon to freshen up the taste a bit.

7 cups fresh red currants, stemmed

1 2/3 cups sugar

6 fresh sage leaves

Prepare the currant juice: Bring the currants and 1 cup water to a simmer in a covered wide-bottomed stockpot. Cover and bring to a simmer. Mash the berries and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Rinse a jelly bag or a large square of cheesecloth (in 5 layers) with hot water. Squeeze dry and use to line a colander set over a large bowl. Pour the currant mixture into the colander and let drain for at least 5 hours. Do not press.
 

Make the jelly: Place two small (nonplastic) saucers in the freezer. Add the sugar and sage to the strained liquid and transfer it to a wide-bottomed stock pot. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off the foam, until the mixture reaches 220° F -- 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and test the consistency by placing a teaspoonful onto the chilled saucer. Return the plate to the freezer until the liquid is cold. Run your finger through the center to test if the mixture sets up like jelly. If it does not gel, continue to cook a few more minutes and repeat the test. Pick out the sage leaves and pour the jelly into clean jelly jars. Let cool. Store refrigerated jelly for up to 1 month.
 

Currant jelly is a classic. Lightly sweetened and versatile, it can be spread on toast or brushed as a glaze on grilled shrimp. It will also accommodate an herbal note, such as sage, making it a suitable glaze for chicken, or for whisking into a sweet-and-sour vinaigrette.

1 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 c. butter, very soft

1 c. white sugar, divided

1 tsp lemon extract

2 eggs, separated

2 tsp cornstarch

pinch cream of tartar

1 c. white and red currants, washed and stemmed

In a large bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.  Stir in butter, 1/2 c. of white sugar, lemon extract, and the 2 egg yolks until evenly moistened.   Knead with your hands several times to bring dough together, form into a smooth ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1/2 an hour. Preheat oven to 325°F.  Press chilled dough into a 9 inch tart pan, forming a crust a little less than an inch thick that also wraps up the sides of the pan.  Bake the crust for 25 minutes, until golden, then remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.  Increase oven temp to 400°F. Whisk 2 egg whites until frothy, then sprinkle cream of tartar over, and whisk vigorously until egg whites are stiff.  Whisk in cornstarch, then gradually add remaining 1/2 c. of sugar to egg whites, whisking vigorously between additions.  Whisk until whites are stiff and shiny, then gently fold in currants.  Smooth currant filling out on top of the pre-baked pie crust, then bake for 12-18 minutes, until most of the meringue top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool/set.  Serve at room temperature on same day.  Refrigerate leftovers (although this will make the meringue begin to “weep”).

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