readinglady- Raspberry Currant Preserves

16 years ago

I saw a mention of this in a thread from April. I did a search to see if the recipe was posted, but I couldn't find anything. Readinglady- if you would be so kind as to post this, that would be great. My currants are black and not red ones, but I'd like to try it with these. The bush is weighted to the ground with fruit, and I just picked a gallon and a half of my red raspberries, with more to come. So, I've been searching for some interesting ideas. I'm freezing them until I decide what to do with them.

So far, I'm thinking of

Jam/Jelly

Syrup

muffins

rasp jalapeno spread

Thanks!!!!

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readinglady
16 years ago
Sure. These are my own notes, so I left out instructions for some of the steps. If you need additional information, just let me know.

The reason these preserves work so beautifully is you prepare currant juice and use that as a base in which the raspberries float. It's a Madelaine Bullwinkel recipe. Her methods are unique (also a pain) but they make lower-sugar no-commercial-pectin preserves possible.

I've posted another of her recipes here before, one a lot of members liked, for spiced blueberry preserves. It's a winner too.

Raspberry Red Currant Preserves

Categories : Canning & Preserving Jams & Jellies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups red currant juice -- (strained from 2 1/2 pounds)
2 pounds raspberries
3 tablespoons lemon juice -- divided
3 1/4 cups sugar -- divided

Extract juice from currants. (Do not heat currants with stems; juice will have a "grassy" flavor.)

Combine raspberries and currant juice in an 8-quart non-reactive pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and simmer 10 minutes. Strain juices for 15 minutes. Reserve berries. Measure the juice and either reduce or add water to measure 3 cups.

Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the strained fruit juices in a clean 8-quart pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and add 3 cups sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, allowing liquid to ragain a boil each time before adding more. Cook to the jell point. This will happen within 5 minutes.

Stir reserved berries into the hot jelly and steep 15 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon of lemon juice. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Uncover and stir in remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Keep at a boil until jell temp is restored, about 5 minutes.

Pour preserves into a 2-quart glass measure. Let preserves sit for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to redistribute the berries. Bottle as usual and BWB 10 minutes.

Description:
"These are delectable and beautiful. A Madelaine Bullwinkel recipe."

Yield: 5 cups

My Note: I'm going to try this technique with peach chunks and raspberry juice.

Carol
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readinglady- Raspberry Currant Preserves

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readinglady

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