Blackcurrant - Culinary Uses

Culinary Uses

It was once thought that currants needed to be "topped and tailed" (the flower remnants and the stalks removed) before cooking. This is not the case, though, as these parts are easily assimilated during the cooking process. If one prefers, the whole blackcurrant stem and fruit can be frozen, then shaken vigorously. The tops and tails will break off, and the fruit can then be easily separated.

The fruit can be eaten raw, but its strong, tart flavour requires sweetening to be palatable. It is usually cooked with sugar to produce a puree, which can then be sieved in muslin to make juice. The puree can be used in jam, jelly, cheesecake, yogurt, ice cream, sorbet, and many other dishes both sweet and savoury. The exceptionally strong flavour can be moderated by combining it with other fruits, such as raspberries and strawberries in summer pudding; or apples in crumbles and pies. They are a common ingredient of Rødgrød, a popular kissel-like dessert in North German and Danish cuisines.

Besides being juiced and used in jellies, syrups, and cordials, blackcurrants are also used in cooking because their astringency creates flavour in many sauces, meat dishes, and desserts.

In the United Kingdom, Europe and Commonwealth countries, blackcurrant is included in many fruit-flavoured sweet selections. In the United States, grape flavour is often used in brands of candy where blackcurrant would appear in Europe.

Japan imports $3.6 million of New Zealand blackcurrants for uses as dietary supplements, snacks, functional food products and as quick-frozen (IQF) produce for culinary production as jams, jellies or preserves.