Créme de Cassis

Earlier in the summer I harvested the black currants from my community garden plot.  A number of years ago I made this beverage with my good friend Connie, and we enjoyed sips of the sweet liquor.  Créme de cassis can be served on its own, in sipping portions, in some white wine as a Kir, in champagne or sparkling wine as a Kir Royale, or on some vanilla ice cream.

I looked at many recipes, and then mainly went by this one, although I used Brandy instead of Vodka.

What you need:

1.5 lbs or about 680 grams fresh or frozen black or red currants (I didn’t have enough so I used some raspberries)

3 cups brandy

2 & 1/4 cups white sugar

1 cinnamon stick

What you do:

1. Clean a large canning jar, and wash and de-stem the currants.

2. Smash the currants up and put them into the jar with all the other ingredients.  Give it a few shakes, then put the lid on tightly and store it in a warm sunny place for about a month.  Shake it around once or twice a week.

3. After about a month, strain the liquid through a fine sieve, lining it with a piece of cheesecloth if you want to get a really pure liquid. Bottle the liquid and enjoy as you wish.

You can also keep the fruit solids to make into other recipes, like an ice-cream sauce.