9 simple recipes for making blackcurrant jelly for the winter
When it comes time to harvest berries, many summer residents face the question: what to do with them? As a rule, the main amount is harvested for the winter, because it is at this time that we do not have enough vitamins. There are a lot of options for what to do with the berries: just freeze, make juice, tincture, grind with sugar, boil compote. Or you can make aromatic jelly from black currant and leave it for the winter. Various recipes for such a dessert will be described below.
The subtleties of making black currant jelly for the winter
Even a novice cook will be able to prepare a blackcurrant dessert. In order for currant jelly to turn out thick and tasty, and most importantly - to last until winter, you should learn the basic principles of cooking.
How to choose and prepare the main ingredient
For jelly, non-hybrid blackcurrant varieties are better suited, as they contain more pectin (this is a natural thickener-preservative). The berries must be prepared in the right way:
- First of all, the currants should be sorted out: remove the leaves and twigs. It is also advisable to get rid of the stalks.
- Rinse the berries in running water.
- Then it is recommended to dry them.
Container preparation rules
Aluminum cookware is not suitable for preparing blanks for the winter, as it oxidizes.
Therefore, only enamel pots should be used for cooking.
Glass jars with tight-fitting lids are suitable for storing ready-made jelly, which must be sterilized. To do this, you can choose any sterilization option:
- in a microwave oven;
- in the oven;
- in a saucepan;
- over the steam.
Why does blackcurrant jelly not thicken
It happens that jelly is prepared strictly according to the recipe, but it still turns out to be liquid. This can happen if berries with a low pectin content were used (usually hybrid varieties). In this case, you can buy this thickener and add it following the instructions.
How much to cook currant jelly
The fastest way to cook is "Five Minute". Thus, the currants are cooked for exactly five minutes. But, according to the classic recipe, it should be cooked longer: from half an hour to two hours.
How to cook blackcurrant jelly at home
There are several recipes for making this currant dessert.The classic version, proven by generations, a quick way - "Pyatiminutka", a recipe using exactly currant juice, a method for a multicooker that does not require cooking and without sugar.
You can also experiment with the final flavor of the dessert by adding an orange or apple with cinnamon.
Classic recipe
You will need:
- 1 kilogram of berries;
- 1.5 kilograms of sugar;
- 2 glasses of water.
To make jelly according to the classic recipe, you must:
- Pour the berries with water and place on the stove. Bring to a boil, cook for another 15 minutes, stirring continuously and skimming.
- Add sugar, mix well. Cook again for 15 minutes.
- When the mass thickens, it must be poured into a prepared container.
Concentrated jelly
The ingredients for this recipe are:
- 1 kilogram of berries;
- 1.5 kilograms of sugar;
- 20 milliliters of blackcurrant juice.
This jelly is more concentrated and thicker. To do it, you need:
- Pour the juice into a saucepan, put it on the stove and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add berries and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Cool, rub the berries through a sieve and return the resulting juice to the stove, add sugar and cook over low heat for half an hour.
- The mass will thicken and decrease, then it should be poured into jars.
Simple recipe "Five minutes"
You will need:
- 1 kilogram of black currant;
- 1.5 kilograms of sugar;
- 2 glasses of water.
Thanks to such a short cooking time, the berries do not have time to turn into a puree, but remain soft and smooth. You need to do the following:
- First you need to prepare a syrup: mix sugar with water and heat until completely dissolved.
- Dip the berries in the syrup and cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour into a sterile container and close the lid.
Multicooker option
Ingredients:
- 1 kilogram of berries;
- a pound of sugar;
- 120 milliliters of water.
In order to prepare blackcurrant jelly in a multicooker, you must:
- Squeeze the berries in a juicer or crush with a crush.
- Add water and place in a multicooker bowl.
- Set the "extinguishing" mode for 10 minutes, do not close the lid.
- Now the mixture should be passed through a sieve or cheesecloth.
- Add sugar by volume equal to the resulting juice.
- Mix everything in a bowl and put the stew again with the lid open, now for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foam and stir the jelly.
- After cooking, pour into jars.
From black currant juice
Required products:
- a glass of juice;
- half a glass of boiled water;
- a tablespoon of sugar;
- a tablespoon of gelatin.
Now the procedure is step by step:
- First you need to prepare the gelatin. To do this, pour it over with two tablespoons of water and leave to swell for 15 minutes.
- Combine the juice with water and put on a low heat, heat, add sugar and gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.
- Now you can pour the liquid into suitable molds and leave until solidified.
With orange
For cooking you will need:
- 700 grams of berries;
- 2 oranges;
- 50 milliliters of water;
- 300 grams of sugar.
A blank of currant jelly with orange is created as follows:
- The berries are placed in a saucepan and filled with water.
- Then you need to cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, periodically skimming off the foam.
- Now rub the currants through a sieve and add sugar.
- Grate the zest of one orange, add to the currants and stir.
- Squeeze the juice from the second orange and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour the finished mixture into jars.
With apple and cinnamon
Ingredients:
- 1 kilogram of apples;
- 1 kilogram of currants;
- 1 glass of water;
- 2.5 kilograms of sugar.
This dessert turns out to be extremely tasty. For cooking you need:
- Put the berries in a saucepan, add sugar and water and leave for 3 hours.
- Then bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- For apples, you need to cut off the skin and core, and then cut into pieces.
- Add apples to a saucepan and leave for another 3 hours.
- Bring to a boil for the second time and cook for 15-20 minutes over low heat.
- Leave again for 5 hours and bring to a boil again. Cook for 15-20 minutes and then pour into jars.
Sugarless
This method is quick and easy. In addition to currant berries and suitable containers, nothing is required for it. Suitable for diabetics, children and those who are losing weight.
To prepare sugar-free currant jelly you need:
- Put the prepared berries in jars.
- Put a napkin at the bottom of a large saucepan, on which you should put jars of berries.
- The saucepan is filled with water and put on a small fire.
- As the berries settle in the jar, you need to add new ones.
- This should be done until the currants stop settling.
Raw currant jelly without cooking
Required:
- 2 kilograms of currants;
- half a kilo of sugar.
To make jelly that does not need to be boiled, you should:
- Make powder from granulated sugar in a coffee grinder.
- Grind the currants with a blender or meat grinder.
- Using cheesecloth, squeeze out the juice.
- Add powdered sugar to the juice and stir well.
- Transfer to banks.
- After cooling down, refrigerate.
Further storage of treats
Jelly that has been heat treated will last longer. Therefore, a dessert prepared without boiling should not be left until winter..
All other recipes have approximately one shelf life (provided that the cans and lids are properly sterilized) - from one to two years. It is recommended to store workpieces in a cool room, where the temperature does not rise above +15 degrees.