Finally- a Jam Using Red Currants, AND Raspberries!

I've been admiring those ruby red currants every summer at the Farmers' Market.  Finally, I have made a jam with them!  This recipe is rooted in Poland and chock full of winter busting vitamins.  I began my currant journey with a recipe from the "Joys of Jewish Preserving" by Emily Paster, adapted to make it mine.

The recipe makes four 250ml jars.

Ingredients:

250 gr        red currants, de-stemmed
1/2 cup      water
750 gr        raspberries
1/2 cup      unsweetened grape juice (preferably white)
3 cups        sugar

Directions:

Combine the currants and the water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Lower the heat and simmer until the currants burst, about five minutes, then mash them.

Strain the currants through a fine mesh sieve, into a bowl. Press to extract as much juice and pulp as possible.  Measure the pulp- you should have about one cup of solids.

Return the pulp to the saucepan and add the raspberries.  Crush the berries with a potato masher.  Add the sugar and the juice and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.  Turn the heat down to medium-high.  Boil the jam, stirring constantly for about 10-12 minutes.

Remove from heat when the thermometer reaches 220 degrees.  Skim off any foam.  Ladle the jam into the jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.  Wipe the rims with a damp cloth.  Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings.  Process the jars in a boiling water bath for ten minutes.  Allow to cool in the water for five minutes before removing.  Store for up to one year.


WANNA PLAY?  You could change the proportion of red currant to raspberries to 50/50.  That would be 1 lb of each of the fruit.