Currant Or Raisin Liqueur Cassis Food

CURRANT OR RAISIN LIQUEUR (CASSIS)

Steps:

• Boil 1 cup water. Add currants. Cover, turn off heat and let currants plump in hot water for about 5 minutes.
• Drain off water.
• Place currants and alcohol in a tightly closed jar and steep for 1 week.
• Shake jar occasionally during steeping.
• Strain and filter.
• Add enough sugar syrup for cassis, or more for creme de cassis, to your taste. Mature for 2 weeks.
• Either recipe makes 1 cup.

CREME DE CASSIS (CURRANT LIQUEUR)

Steps:

• You will also need: 2 Quart mason jars.
• Phase one:.
• Remove currants from stems and wash.
• Fill two quart jars with currants three-quarters of the way to the top.
• Pour eau de vie or vodka over the currants until the jars are nearly full.
• Seal jars and let sit.
• Note: currents are usually available at the end of July; they should sit in the jars until early December.
• Phase Two:.
• In early December (or in 4 to 6 months), empty the contents of the two jars into a sauce pan.
• Bring to a boil.
• Strain the juice.
• Measure the quantity of juice.
• For every quart of juice, add one quart of sugar and one cup of eau de vie or vodka.
• Combine in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer briefly till sugar is dissolved and mixture is syrupy (about ten minutes).
• Pour into sterilized jars or bottles.
• Seal.
• Note: It is ready to drink at this stage, but it only gets better as it sits.