The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Home brewing => Topic started by: Womble on August 02, 2011, 10:20:25 pm
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Hi folks,
You've simply got to try this recipe I found for home-made blackcurrant cordial (http://www.britishlarder.co.uk/home-made-blackcurrant-cordial/).
(http://anoutdoorlife.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/2.jpg?w=500&h=435)
It's really simple. All you do is simmer blackcurrants, sugar and water, and then after five minutes, add a whole chopped up lemon. Simmer for another five minutes, cool, sieve and bottle. The taste is a bit like a supermarket 'hi-juice' squash (dilute about 3:1 with water), but so, so much better! ;D
(http://anoutdoorlife.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/4.jpg?w=500&h=776)
(Oh, and I've also got some blackcurrant schnapps on the go, but that'll have to wait until Christmas at least before I find out if it's any good! ;)).
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It freezes really well too. We make big batches and fill 4 pint milk cartons.
Means we have cordial all year around, and a use for all those blackcurrants other than jam! ;D
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Fantastic! thank you so much for posting this. Hubby was only saying this morning that the rate our girls go through blackcurrant we are spending between £50 and £75 a month on the blinkin stuff ;) will give this a go!
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Thanks for sharing that womble, have been thinking recently I must find a good recipe for Blackcurrent Cordial - looks like an interesting website too. And thanks Dan for telling us it freezes ok, saves me wondering if all that valuable freezer space is worthwhile.
:farmer:
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I make blackcurrent vodka liqueur , num num. Well also straweberry vodka, raspberry gin etc etc. Any fruit that is in glut...
thing is i dont really drink!
Emma T
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Well I'm hoping the schnapps will be a success too, but it's going to be a long wait to find out!
(http://anoutdoorlife.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/3.jpg?w=500&h=542)
Any fruit that is in glut... thing is i dont really drink!
Er, I can help with that you know! ;D
P.S. Plumseverywhere - why not give it a go with some of your excess plums? I can't see why it wouldn't work!?
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I think it will be going to the TAS BBQ....when it happens ;D ;D ;D ;D
Emma T
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Yummmmmm, I fancy a drink of that right now!!! could do with a Bar Be Q and some fun as I'm a dull girl at the moment,m all work no play :(
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I am going to try it with my plums ::) How long does it last when not frozen? Just made another 2 gallons of wine and got going with a quart of gin based plum and another with vodca based plum.
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Hi Womble - from your picture you seem to be trying to eliminate the need for extra sugar. Is this new, has anyone else tried it? Let us know how it goes. Mine was 3 pound plum, 2 pints (yes really) of sugar and 2 of gin/vodka
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I think it will be going to the TAS BBQ....when it happens ;D ;D ;D ;D
Emma T
Oh, yes. I had forgotten about that :dunce:
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Hi Womble - from your picture you seem to be trying to eliminate the need for extra sugar.
No, just two different recipes I found, so I thought I'd try both :yum:.
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As i was typing i was thinking ....'i wonder if Rosemary will spot this!' ;D ;D ;D ;D
Emma T - :trophy: full of blackcurrent liqueur
(the trophy - not me)
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Hasn't Womble got a lovely clean cooker!! :o I wouldn't send a picture of mine :-[
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LOL, Sylvia - see the wee white thing in the top of the photo? That's the roasting tin from the previous night that I hadn't gotten round to washing up yet. Amazing what the 'crop' tool in photoshop can do eh? ;) (Oh, and if you look carefully in the Schnapps photo, you can clearly see the dust on the worktop! )
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You can do your own Ribena with ALL sorts of fruit, it's in the Rivercottage handbok No 2 - Preserves (Pam Corbin). - and you don't need a freezer for it at all.
Just juice as you would for making jelly (through muslin overnight etc etc), then take juice and for every 1 ltre of juice dissolve 700g of sugar, bring slowly to the boil and immediately fill into clean sterilised jars (anything with a screwtop will do). Keep an inch or so from the top as airgap, cool down slowly, and it keeps for at least a couple of years in a cool garage.
Brilliant with rhubarb, apples, any kind of currants etc etc.
PS.: Also makes brilliant fruity icecream/frozen joghurt. Just "dilute" with cream (single or double) or joghurt to taste and churn/freeze!
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Well I used the plums from our poor dead (now) tree and it tastes great :yum:. Basically boiled down fruit into juice. Did not mess about with too much of sieving just drained and frozen the mash for later in the year - great idea Anke to mix it into yoghurt or ice cream.