Blackcurrant Cordial - Pic Heavy

[DoctorSpoon]

We freeze red/black currants spread out in a layer on baking sheets then shake them out into plastic bags so they take up less room and you can use them in whatever quantities you want - you could do the same with blackberries. You don't have to be too precious about it, just drop them on and give them a shake so they cover the tray- some will stick together but not too many. They always seem so good in the winter when there's little good fruit around

 

[Rebel]

I thought this thread was worth reviving because I've just been using this recipe for my glut of redcurrants. There are a lot of berries out there this year and this is a good way of using them.

 

[Fredcompanybushcraft]

I thought this thread was worth reviving because I've just been using this recipe for my glut of redcurrants. There are a lot of berries out there this year and this is a good way of using them.

Thanks for reviving this thread rebel
-i'd never have found it if you hadn't

Im gonna try out this recipe with the blackberries AND the blackcurrants that grow in my garden.

Does anyone think it would work with strawberries?

 

[rik_uk3]

We've got another week or two before the Blackberry's are ready for picking. I've a lovely patch a few minutes walk over the fields out back and every year have more than I need so this year I'm going to make Blackberry vodka.

Looking forward to next year too, my grandson will be getting on for three and will be old enough to come picking (and eating) with grand dad

 

[Rebel]

Thanks for reviving this thread rebel
-i'd never have found it if you hadn't

Im gonna try out this recipe with the blackberries AND the blackcurrants that grow in my garden.

Does anyone think it would work with strawberries?

Your'e welcome.

I'm not sure about strawberries. I'm sure it would work but I don't know if the taste would be all that good (I haven't tried it so I can't say). I did have a lot of strawberries this year but somehow we managed to eat them all.

You could try it with a small quantity and see how it works. One thing you can do is mix berries. I just made the above recipe with a mixture of blackberries and black and red currants. Sometimes certain things compliment each other really well but might not taste so great on their own.

 

[British Red]

Strawberries make a startlingy good cordial - not quite up there with raspberries - but very good. They also make a superb wine

Red

 

[Melonfish]

hmm rasberry cordial? thats worth a go..

do you reckon i could adapt some of this for use with my ice-cream making machine?

 

[Tadpole]

More like I pick them over because any mouldy or over ripe ones will spoil the taste - stalks in quantity give a sightly "woody" taste so I remove where I can. The weird thing of blackcurrant cordial is it tastes like blackcurrant (not remotely like Ribena!)

Red

I’m not at all surprised by that, the drink in question is made in Coleford by Smithkline Beecham, I was ‘lucky’ enough to work there one summer, and watched/booked in about 1000 tonnes of the blackcurrants for processing about 1000 tonnes of berryarrive but after de-stalking and pip removal there was a lot less berry to go around, about 600 tonnes. (The pips were I’m told sold to make oil)
One five litre bottle of pure black current juice is enough to make 1000 litres of the famous blackcurrant drink, (by the time they process it anyway) I know, as I asked if they could spare a gallon to make some wine and was laughed at.

 

[British Red]

hmm rasberry cordial? thats worth a go..

do you reckon i could adapt some of this for use with my ice-cream making machine?

Aah now here I run out of ideas....never made ice cream in my life.

It makes stunning lollies if that helps?

Red

 

[nicodiemus]

Melonfish, should work fine.

Red, great work as ever!

 

[Rebel]

More like I pick them over because any mouldy or over ripe ones will spoil the taste - stalks in quantity give a sightly "woody" taste so I remove where I can. The weird thing of blackcurrant cordial is it tastes like blackcurrant (not remotely like Ribena!)

Red

Ribena is pretty awful IMO. The new breed of "High Juice" drinks that the supermarkets do taste much better but usually have apple juice added. Aldi did a "High Juice" blackcurrant only cordial that tasted almost as good as the real thing but my local store hasn't had any in for months now.

 

[Mang]

all other cordials are a variation on the recipe (just google the one you want) - blackberry is excellent and just coming into season now.

Red

It's spooky but I'd said to my eldest that we should have a go at Blackberry cordial whilst on holiday and then your thread appears...

I noticed the fruit to water ratio but I can't see what amount of fruit you used...?

 

[British Red]

Its just proportions really - half a pint of water and three quartes of a pound of sugar per pound of fruit. Clearly scale down the sugar for sweeter fruit

Red

 

[Tengu]

Thats great.

I tend to bottle or spirit mine.

But no reason I couldnt turn the bottled into cordial.

I lived on Ribena as a small child; gave up when I was 7, and no cant stand the stuff.

I prefer hi juice squashes. Lime is my favorite.