Blackcurrant

Blackcurrant is a deep dark purple, aromatic fruit with a pronounced fresh-tart and lightly spicy flavour. Blackcurrants are often used in jam, jelly, syrup and liqueurs, but also in sauces and desserts where a powerful fruit flavour is wanted.

Latin name: Ribes nigrum
Origin: Northern and Central Europe and Asia
Plant family: Grossulariaceae (currant family)
Height: 1–1.5 m
Flowering period: April–May
Life span: perennial

Description

The blackcurrant grows on a deciduous shrub that remains compact and fruits abundantly. The berries grow in clusters and are smaller than many other summer berries, with a dark, matt to glossy skin and juicy flesh. A distinctive feature is the strong aroma: not only the fruit, but also the leaves have a recognisable scent. Blackcurrants quickly turn preparations an intense purple and naturally have a high flavour concentration, so even a relatively small amount gives a clear fruit note.

In the kitchen

The flavour of blackcurrant is powerful and distinctive: fresh-tart, darkly fruity and sometimes almost wild in character. This makes it work well with sweet counterparts such as vanilla, cream, white chocolate and almond, but also with warm spices such as cinnamon and star anise. In compote, coulis and tart fillings, the flavour comes through beautifully; often a little sugar or honey is needed to round out the acidity. Blackcurrant is also excellent in syrup, sorbet and jam, and works surprisingly well in savoury sauces for duck, lamb or game, optionally with a splash of red wine.

Storage & preparation

Store blackcurrants in the fridge, preferably unwashed and in a container that is not too full. Rinse them only briefly just before use and let them drain well. Strip the berries from the stalks with a fork or with your fingers. Freezing works very well: first freeze them loose on a tray and then store them airtight, so that you can use them in portions. After thawing they are softer, but perfect for compote, jam, sauces and smoothies.