Blackcurrant liqueur
The fruit liqueurs (or "creams" in French) are a mix of neutral alcohol in which fruits are macerated, and sugar syrup. They are the basis of the very famous "Kir", mixture of dry white wine and blackcurrant liqueur.
This recipe is for blackcurrant, but it can be made with other soft fruits like raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.
This recipe is for blackcurrant, but it can be made with other soft fruits like raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.
55 min.
Easy
500 ml
5 IngredientsLast modified on: August 3rd 2013
For 500 ml, you will need:
- 1
1 ½ cup blackcurrant - 2
1 1⁄3 cup neutral-flavoured eau-de-vie - 3
1 blackcurrant leaf (optional) - 4
1 cup caster sugar - 5
2⁄3 cup water
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 45 min.
Cooking: 10 min.
All in all: 55 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 5 min.
Put 1 blackcurrant leaf in a 1 litre jar.
Stage 2 - 10 min.
Quickly wash 1 ½ cup blackcurrant under the tap, drain and dry them.
Fill up the jar.
Fill up the jar.
Stage 3 - 2 min.
Fill the jar with 1 1⁄3 cup neutral-flavoured eau-de-vie. The fruit must be completely covered with the alcohol.
Stage 4 - 1 min.
Seal the jar and leave in a cool and dark place for about 3 months.
Stage 5
After 3 months, the alcohol will have taken on a pretty red/purple color.
Stage 6
This means that all the flavour of the fruits has been transferred to the alcohol.
Stage 7 - 10 min.
Empty the contents of the bottle into a strainer placed over a high-sided container (to avoid splashes - they stain!) and collect the blackcurrant juice.
Stage 8 - 1 min.
Pour the juice into a pan.
You can now discard the fruit, they have lost all their taste.
You can now discard the fruit, they have lost all their taste.
Stage 9 - 2 min.
Stage 10 - 10 min.
Heat to about 110°C or 230°F, you can use a thermometer to check.
It takes about 10 minutes to reach this temperature.
It takes about 10 minutes to reach this temperature.
Stage 11
Leave the syrup to cool for about 10 minutes, until the temperature drops below 100°C or 212°F.
Stage 12
Carefully mix the two liquids together:
Add the blackcurrant juice to the syrup.
Add the blackcurrant juice to the syrup.
Stage 13
Then pour this mix into the other pan.
Stage 14 - 10 min.
Repeat this until the two liquids are thoroughly mixed.
It's important to do it like this because if you introduce a spoon or other utensil to stir with, the syrup might start to crystallize.
It's important to do it like this because if you introduce a spoon or other utensil to stir with, the syrup might start to crystallize.
Stage 15
The blackcurrant liqueur is now ready, and can be bottled.
Remarks
Its essential to use good quality fruit for this recipe, with bad or ordinary fruit you will have poor liqueur, and with well-flavoured fruit a great one. Best results are obtained with wild fruits, especially raspberries.
A couple of leaves can be left in with blackcurrants, but not with other fruit.
If you are making strawberry liqueur, cut large fruit into 2 or 4.
If you have a lot of blackcurrants in season, make blackcurrant coulis.
A couple of leaves can be left in with blackcurrants, but not with other fruit.
If you are making strawberry liqueur, cut large fruit into 2 or 4.
If you have a lot of blackcurrants in season, make blackcurrant coulis.
And to drink?
To make "Kir", the famous aperitif, pour one measure of blackcurrant liqueur into a glass and about six measures cool dry white wine (typically white Bourgogne like "Bourgogne aligoté" or equivalent).
You can also make a "Communard" by replacing the white wine with a light red one. A votre santé !
You can also make a "Communard" by replacing the white wine with a light red one. A votre santé !
Keeping: Several months.
Source: After Gaston Lenôtre.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 3 RDI=1 % | 300 RDI=30 % | 0 | 1,930 RDI=100 % | 8,080 RDI: 100 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 30 RDI=3 % | 0 | 180 RDI=9 % | 770 RDI: 9 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 500 ml : 6.75 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
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The 4 comments already posted on this recipe
I have tried with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries. The best results is with raspberries, especially wild ones, absolutely fabulous!
Question: How do the leaves add to the flavour of the mix? And why is it that you advise not to include leaves on other fruits? What fruits have you tried that you really recommend? Thank you!