Blackcurrant Liqueur (Crème de cassis)
The blackcurrants are put directly into high-percentage alcohol straight after picking and then the liqueur is ready to finish being made around Christmastime. Only our most special guests get to taste the liqueur - and then only thimblefuls... pure, as kir (with dry white wine), kir royale (with fizzy wine or champagne) or over vanilla ice cream - heavenly! I can't give exact amounts in the recipe as that all depends on how many fresh blackcurrants you have.
Ingredients
Serves: 25
- very fresh blackcurrants
- vodka, or other spirit with a neutral taste
- sugar
Method
Prep:1hr ›
Cook:15min ›
Extra time:130days marinating ›
Ready in:130days1hr15min
- Wash the fresh blackcurrants (in season July through mid-late August) and dry them carefully using kitchen paper. Pour them into a sterilised glass jar and pour enough alcohol over them so that they are completely covered. Screw the lid on tightly and store them in a cool, dark place.
- In mid-December (you really have to wait this long), pour the currants and the alcohol into a big pan. Mash them with a potato masher in order to squeeze as much juice out of them as possible. Now filter through a fine sieve. You can also use a hand blender to puree them, but then you have to remember to filter the bits of fruit and seeds out afterwards; this is best done with a coffee filter. You really have to work carefully to filter out all of this so that the flavour is as intense as can be.
- To each 500ml of blackcurrant and alcohol mixture (as clear as possible) add 500g sugar and 125g extra vodka. Bring it all slowly to the boil, skimming off any foam that builds up on the surface. The sugar should be completely dissolved and the liquid should have a syrup-like consistency. Be careful not to cook the mixture for too long, otherwise you'll get a jelly-like consistency. Bear in mind that the liqueur will get even thicker as it cools.
- While still hot, pour it into sterilised jars or firmly closing containers. Place a damp tea towel under the jar so the glass doesn't break. Store in a cool, dark place.
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Reviews & ratings
Average global rating:
(12)
Reviews in English (3)
I agree, why would you boil off the alcohol? What I have done is drain and sieve the blackcurrent steeped alcohol and put it back in the jar for now. Put the blackcurrents in the processor and whizzed it. Then cooked the blackcurrent mash down till is soft, I did not boil this. Sieve the mash then filter.I used an old T Shirt, clean of course, this is much more effective than a coffee filter. The resulting liquid is put back in the rinsed pan with the sugar, stir until dissolved. Do not boil, mixture was warm. Cool then add the extra alcohol and the original steeped alcohol. Stir and bottle. I do sterilize my bottles as I would for anything I was brewing to remove unwanted bacteria. - 09 Dec 2013
4. if you boil it, you boil the alcohol off :-( maybe slightly warmed, to help dissolve the sugar, but not really necessary. it just takes longer. (maybe put it in a jar / bottle & keep shaking to dissolve) 5. clean bottle, yes, sterillised, hot? why ? that's the whole point of the alcohol, (this isn't jam y'know) - 23 Sep 2013
The Vodka extracts the flavour from the berries and provides Alcohol for the finished product. Boiling it removes up to 85% of the Acohol. Do not boil it unless you want it ruined. Simply filter the Berry/ Currant and Vodka mixture to get the solids out and then add a simple syrup (Sugar disolved in Water) do not heat it. Blend together by shaking in a Bottle or Mason Jar. Delicious! - 04 Aug 2017