Why REAL Blackcurrants (not Currants) Should be the Next Superfruit Craze and a Recipe for Blackcurrant Jam
This blackcurrant jam recipe packs a load of nutrients I bet you never even realized! Blackcurrants are an incredible super fruit, but sadly, in the US they’re almost unheard of.
The confusion that exists between blackcurrants and currants is incredible. Actually, it’s not even confusion, just misinformation, but it’s causing Americans miss out on a tremendously nutritious super fruit.
Let me begin by telling you that blackcurrants need no introduction in the UK. I grew up thinking that everyone knew what blackcurrants were. The flavor was (and still is) one of my very favorites. In Britain, everyone eats blackcurrant jam, and fights over the blackcurrant flavored fruit pastilles and fruit gums.
One of the most popular drinks in the UK is called Ribena. It’s made from blackcurrants, and in fact, almost all blackcurrants grown in the UK are used to make this beverage.
Yes, blackcurrants are a big thing across the pond, so why are they virtually unknown here in the US? Is it the same reason why black pudding isn’t popular? Not exactly.
The Blackcurrant Ban
It’s rather a long story, but I first learned about the ban on black currants on a box of black currant juice drink that Trader Joe’s carried for a short time.
Apparently, some trees were dying on the east coast and somehow the disease was attributed to blackcurrant bushes, so they were obliterated and banned until 1966 (I remember the year because it’s when I was born). However, it was then left up to the individual states. In 2003 ban on blackcurrants was lifted in New York.
Blackcurrants vs Currants
Now, many of you may be familiar with Zante currants (or Corinthian raisins), which are essentially tiny raisins, right? They are called “currants”, but this is a misnomer as they are dried grapes!
Herein lies the problem between distinguishing REAL black currants and with what some companies are calling “black currants”, but are selling dried grapes. You may not think it’s a big deal, but it really is–it’s called false advertising.
One very large company which sells on Amazon has been called out by so many customers, and given 1 star reviews because they are advertising and selling “black currants”, which are actually Zante currants. Despite these complaints for years, they refuse to change their labeling and Amazon has also not removed the product from its site.
The worst is that this company isn’t the only one doing this! (I won’t name names, but you can easily go to Amazon and search black currants; it’s probably the first thing you’ll see.)
What is also really terrible is that someone who has never had black currants (or possibly even Zante currants) before, will have no idea that they’ve been scammed. My mother and I were in a gourmet food warehouse once and came upon large bags of dried “black currants”! We were elated and bought a 2 lb bag each as we’d never seen them in a store before.
When we got home, I ripped open one of the bags and threw a handful in my mouth only to discover that they were Zante currants! Dried blackcurrants and dried Zante currants do look awfully similar as they are both dark and small. Although I like Zante currants, I cannot tell you how disappointed I was.
Health Benefits
Here’s another little known fact amongst US consumers: blackcurrants are a powerhouse of nutrition. The health benefits associated with these little purple berries are astounding. Here’s an example of how they stack up against other fruits~
This chart doesn’t even touch on all the studies that have been done which suggest that blackcurrants offer benefits with vision, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular health, aging and brain function, digestion, and even cancer! They have one of the highest levels of antioxidants that you can find in fruit.
Let’s just say that I could write pages and pages, listing reasons why we should reintroduce black currants into our North American society, but what will really initiate change will be when we start asking for stores and companies to carry blackcurrant products, and we buy them. (We’ll start on red currants next, but I did buy some at a local market about a month ago! Yippee!)
Blackcurrant Uses and Recipes
Blackcurrants are sour little things, so most people don’t eat them fresh like raspberries or strawberries. Instead, they are often mixed with other fruits, or made into jam, compotes or syrups. Blackcurrants are wonderful when mixed with apples in a crumble or with other berries for all sorts of desserts. You can even make gelatin squares with the concentrate. They are also used in savory dishes, and as you’ve probably guessed, the possibilities are endless. Here are some recipes from a few of my blogger friends–just click on the photos for the recipes.
The first thing I made with my frozen blackcurrants was a batch of jam! I miss blackcurrant jam so much and being able to make it myself was fantastic as I can make it exactly how I like it. Blackcurrant jam is one of the easiest jams to make as it doesn’t need pectin, and sets really well on its own.
The measurements aren’t critical either, so feel free to add more sugar if you like your jam a bit on the sweeter side, or less if you really are into the tart flavor. This blackcurrant jam recipe is easy to tweak to your liking.
I miss blackcurrants and the flavor so much, the health benefits are secondary to me! I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE those beautiful purple currants! Maybe that’s why my favorite color is purple? That and the Cadbury’s packaging may have affected me for life! 💜
Blackcurrant Jam Recipe
adapted from a Mrs. Beeton recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs frozen black currants
- 20 oz (2 1/2 cups) water
- 2 lb sugar (about 2 1/2 cups)
- juice of one lemon
Place the black currants and water in a heavy pot over medium low heat. Cook the fruit for about half an hour or longer, stirring occasionally, to soften the skins.
Add the sugar and lemon juice.
Increase the heat to simmer the jam briskly while constantly stirring. Use a candy thermometer to bring the temperature of the jam to 215°F (101.5°C) which should be reached in about 10 to 15 minutes.
Pour into warm, dry jars which have been rinsed with boiling water, along with the lids.
Process to seal, if desired, but you can just keep it in the fridge to be on the safe side. I make sure to hear/see my lids pop to ensure a seal.
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Blackcurrant Jam Recipe
A classic British jam made from blackcurrants (no pectin).
Ingredients
- 2 lbs frozen black currants
- 20 oz (2 1/2 cups) water
- 2 lb sugar (about 2 1/2 cups)
- juice of one lemon
Instructions
Place the black currants and water in a heavy pot over medium low heat. Cook the fruit for about half an hour or longer, stirring occasionally, to soften the skins.
Add the sugar and lemon juice.
Increase the heat to simmer the jam briskly while constantly stirring. Use a candy thermometer to bring the temperature of the jam to 215°F (101.5°C) which should be reached in about 10 to 15 minutes.
Pour into warm, dry jars which have been rinsed with boiling water, along with the lids.
Process to seal, if desired, but you can just keep it in the fridge to be on the safe side. I make sure to hear/see my lids pop to ensure a seal.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 90 Serving Size: 1 tbspAmount Per Serving: Calories: 45Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 0g
Nutrition info is only estimated.
Thank you for this post !!!! I am incredibly frustrated that I cannot find the REAL currants anywhere in the US, whether in-store or online.
Question for Brits: Can you please confirm that when a British mincemeat or Christmas fruitcake recipe calls for “currants”, they are referring to the BERRY and NOT the dried grape (Zante), right?
Hi Philip, Northwest Wild Foods in WA carries blackcurrants.
Regarding fruitcake: it’s dried (Zante) currants, not blackcurrants. British recipes will never refer to currants for blackcurrants, it’s only the US that doesn’t know the difference (most times). Enjoy!
No; British “mincemeat” such as one finds in mince pies, is never made with blackcurrants. It is made with small dried grapes which are always sold in the UK as currants. You can try making it with fresh blackcurrants but their water content is much higher and the resulting mixture would rapidly ferment, I would guess.
This article has slightly misunderstood the derivation of the names. No fraud is intended in selling dried grapes as “currants” in the UK. The name derives from Corinth (a city in Greece) from where we obtained exported dried grapes from medieval times. So corinths became currants. Raisins are larger and did not come from Greece, so got the French name “raisins”. No idea about sultanas!
Blackcurrants only came to England long after the “Corinth” currant, and were often called “bastard currants” or squinancy berries to begin with. They were not as popular here as in Central Europe and Russia. I believe they were banned in the USA because they transmitted a tree disease and the forestry industry lobbied against them as economically damaging. Newer hybrids with American species have yielded disease resistant varieties which can now be grown legally, but I have read that their flavour is pretty poor compared with the originals and the modern varieties bred from them (often in Scotland).
You did ask!
Thanks for the details, Russell, however, you misunderstood the part about black currants being sold as currants in the US (not UK). Whether fraud is intended is unknown, I do not believe it is, however, the company has been informed that they are NOT the same thing and continue to sell the Zante currants with the name “black currants”. It’s simply wrong.
I have just learned about black current and am very interested. I went to the world market we have here and bought a jar of the jam, love the taste but am nut a fan of the shells of the fruit. My husband has some health issues and I’m pumped by the ratings of this fruit. Can you tell me where to shop for the fruit… when (what time of yr they’re harvested)?
Our garden black currants are ripe in July in Canada’s west coast.
I grow black currants in Manitoba and I just started picking mine today (22 July). I have never seen them in the stores for sale.
Lucky you, Ellen!
here in the Central Western States(Colorado, Utah, Montana, Wyoming), we start watching the bushes from May thru August,
Blackcurrant Cheesecake is THE best. Made my own a month ago and am currently hunting down blackcurrants here in Perth in Western Australia. We bought the frozen blackcurrants on our way back from a holiday at a store about 100 miles away. I may have to go back,
The tartness of the blackcurrant cuts through the sweetness of the cream cheese and the mascapone. My God even talking about its is making me salivate.
I believe you, Gerry! Just asked a produce company yesterday about getting in blackcurrants. He told me there’s no demand and I’m the first person to ask for them in 25 years. So sad! There’s no demand because people don’t know what they are. At least you can get some 100 miles away. Thanks for the note!
Sorry for the duplication!
My apologies! Something is wrong with my spam filter the past few days!
This is the receipt I used from the BBC site.
Ingredients
Base:
150g Digestive Biscuits
50g Amaretti Biscuits
100g Butter, melted
Topping:
300g Blackcurrants
2tbsp Blackcurrant Conserve
5tbsp Vanilla Sugar (or) Caster Sugar
Filling:
300g White Chocolate
250g Mascarpone
250g Cream Cheese
300ml Double Cream
You will need:
23cm (9in) spring-form cake tin, lightly buttered
Thanks for sharing, Gerry. I’ve deleted the method as copying a recipe in full is actually copyright infringement. I don’t want people doing it with my recipes, so I don’t allow it on my site, either. However, people will be able to find the recipe on the BBC site. Sounds wonderful!
Is the recipe the same if one uses fresh black currants? I.e. the same amount of water? I have a black currant bush in my yard and hope to make jam from the berries it produces.
Hi Graeme, YES! This would be great using fresh currants (the original recipe is for fresh.) Enjoy!
I live in Ohio. I’ve been growing red and blackcurrants for several years. In my opinion, currants are an aquired taste. The more I tried them, the more appealing they were to me. I love the jam and bunt cakes made from currants. The leaves of the blackcurrants make a pleasant herbal tea.
Lucky you! I’m envious!!
Perry, do you sell them commercially? we are in Cleveland and I’ve been hunting for a local source after visiting an amazing Cassis farm in Canada.
Has anyone found commercial frozen ones in the U.S.??
Black currants grow everywhere in New England! I went to a “Pick Your Own” farm recently (Russell Orchards Farm & Winery in Ipswich, MA for anyone interested) and was able to pick to my heart’s desire! I know they grow wild here and they’re also a common feature of many people’s back yards!
Oh you are so lucky! That’s amazing! (Sorry, I’m just seeing this now, I was out of the country a lot of 2019.)
Has anyone ever tried baking cookies with black currants? Thought it might be worth a try but I don’t want to reinvent the wheel!
Hi Suzanne, I don’t think fresh blackcurrants would be good in cookies. Cakes and muffins, yes, or dried blackcurrants in cookies, just not fresh (too sour). :)