The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Fruit => Topic started by: lord flynn on August 07, 2015, 08:18:40 pm
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I have a small amount of black currants that are almost ready. Not sure I want to do jam with them but what else could I do? (anything with alcohol would be nice :yum: ). I was given some gooseberries but not sure if I could combine them in any way?
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Cheap gin, vodka or whisky even - cover them, add the same weight of sugar to berries. Put in a plastic box, shake every day, strain after at least a month, bottle, and enjoy.
Can be done with any fruit and any spirit. Be warned it's potent
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I cook them up and push them through a sieve then freeze in ice cube trays. It's lovely popped into sparkling water or I add it to ice cream, yoghurt etc
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I had a few pounds of bcurrants this year ..some frozen, some got made into sorbet and some just stewed with minimal sugar and eaten (I like it sharp)
I did have some in brandy in past years.
Biggest nuisance is bearding them all.
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We have made a sorbet in the past which was very nice.
Ideal for those long hot summer days
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Ideal for those long hot summer days
that's sarcasm right? ;D
thanks for the ideas folks, think I am going to go with the gin and the ice cube idea this year :thumbsup:
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The liqueur can be poured over ice cream fro a really special dessert - yum :innocent: :excited: :thumbsup:
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Ideal for those long hot summer days
that's sarcasm right? ;D ......
No, I'm being serious :-J
The shorts are on - summer is here.....although its getting darker outside. Anyone fancy their bets that its going to be :gloomy:
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You are all lucky to even have blackcurrants. My hens ate every single one :-[
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What about cassis? Then you can make kir royale. I've got a recipe somewhere. Will look it out and post it.
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Kir is white wine and cassis, Kir royal is fizzy white wine (or cava or champagne) and cassis - I LOVE it so please post that recipe for Cassis.
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I've done blackcurrant wine before - either on its own or with a little redcurrant, blackberry or elderberry depending on what other fruit I had knocking around at the same time. It's fab!
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Make black current juice then turn it into wine at the end of each fermentation stage rack it off into a clean steril container then add another 1/4 pint of warm sugar syrup to the must ,stir it in to get the alcohol levels up. Do that till the fermentation stops working ( often four or five 1/4 pint additions ) Add a pint bottle of quality brandy to each gallon to give it some depth .
This makes as near as dammit a German liqueur black currant called Schwartz Kat ( Black cat ) treat it with respect don't drink & drive it as it's likely to b able to reach 27 % proof if you use a Tokay wine yeast or a Burgundy or Port wine yeast
There should be no need to " stop " the finished wine as the sugar & alcohol levels are so high that they won't allow it to grow any more .
If you rack it off after six & again12 months the wine should be left to stand in bulk in a cool dark place for another year , then you will have a fantastic deep polished dark red liqueur .
T'is a pity I'm now diabetic & don't drink any alcohol anymore, as I used to really enjoy making my own wines , country wines , liqueurs and beers for the family and friends as well as for our own use .
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I picked my black currants yesterday. I literally had about 16.
Hopefully have a better harvest next year! :hungry: :hungry:
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That's a late harvest. Mine all got picked a month ago.. with a couple of Kg in the freezer too. it;s the reds and white the birds ate (again)