My homemade Crème de Cassis in The Irish Times and other blackcurrant ideas

Caroline

Food writer, broadcaster and author Caroline Hennessy has been focused on food and writing since editing Ireland’s first food website for RTÉ in 2000. Chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild, she established the award-winning Bibliocook: All About Food in 2005, is the author of two books about beer and food and has a column in the Irish Examiner in which she writes about small food producers and the ways in which they develop and maintain a sustainable local food system.

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4 Responses

  1. Marie McKenna says:

    After reading the article in the Irish Times and publicly lamenting the demise of my currant crop after an attack by feathered friends, I got offered black currants by Margaret Griffin who was prompted by MC Digby. Having a surplus remaining after jam making, I decided to put them to good use and make the Crème de Cassis. So on Christmas morning 2013, my Kir Royale will have come courtesy of @foodborn @bibliocook and @mcdigby Merci beaucoup.

    • Caroline says:

      De rien, Marie! Glad you got sorted for jam and cassis making.

      I’d really miss my annual supply of blackcurrant jam. Goes especially well with toasted Cinnamon Raisin Bread. As for the cassis…it’s disappearing far too quickly in this house at the moment!

  2. Sabeen says:

    Im a muslim .cant use brandy. what can be the substitute.plz do let me know.

    • Caroline says:

      Hi Sabeen, I would suggest that you make blackcurrant cordial instead. Here’s the recipe that I use:

      500g blackcurrants
      250g sugar
      500ml water
      Zest and juice of 1 lemon

      Give the blackcurrants a rinse then put them into a heavy based saucepan with the sugar and water. Place over a low heat, stirring regularly, until the sugar is melted, then simmer for 8-10 minutes until the berries have burst and released their juice. You can use a potato masher to help them along. Remove from the heat, add the lemon zest and juice, and cool before straining through a sieve lined with muslin. Pour the cordial into a sterilised bottle and store in the fridge, diluting it to taste with still or sparkling water.

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