Creme De Cassis Or Creme De Mures Recipes

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.

CREME DE CASSIS OR CREME DE MURES

Steps:

• Cut and mash the black-current berries and place them in a bottle filled to the top with the alcohol. Let sit 3 months. (Black currents can be bought in July, so, leave until October). In October put the current and alcohol mix into a large pan and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, turn it off. Now filter the current alcohol/juice to remove the berry bits. For about every Liter of strained current alcohol/juice you'll add about 3-4 cups of sugar and another cup of eau-de-vie (or vodka). Combine this all in a sauce pan and warm until the sugar dissolves. Then put into jars and let sit. You could drink the creme de cassis (blackcurrent) now...but... the longer it ages the better it gets. For blackberries you crush the berries and put in the eau-de-vie for 24 hours: 1/2 L alcohol per 500 grams of blackberries. Then strain to remove the blackberries, keep them and the alcohol. Take the fruit and now put them in 1/4 L water for 24 hours. Again strain out the fruit. Now mix the blackberry water and the sugar (350 grams of sugar to 1/4 L of blackberry water). Now mix the sugar/blackberry-water and alcohol all together. Filter and put it in bottles. It's ready to drink, though letting it age a bit only makes it better.

BLACKBERRY LIQUEUR (CRÈME DE MÛRE)

Steps:

• Pick over the blackberries and remove any stalks or leaves. Tip into a large ceramic or glass bowl and pour over the wine. Use a potato masher to crush the fruit into the wine. Cover with a tea towel and leave to macerate in a cool place for 2 days, mashing occasionally.
• Pour the mixture through a plastic sieve, then pass again through the sieve or a colander lined with a square of muslin to remove any bits. 3 Tip the juice into a pan and add the sugar. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for 5 mins. Leave to cool, then stir in the vodka or gin. Using a small jug, pour into bottles, then seal and label. It's ready to use straight away. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for up to 1 year.

HOMEMADE CREME DE CASSIS LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Combine the currants and red wine in a ceramic or glass bowl, and leave for at least 24 and up to 48 hours.
• Purée the mixture in a food processor or blender, and then strain it through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large saucepan.
• For every cup of liquid, add 1 cup of sugar.
• Heat gently, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved.
• Do not let the liquid come to a simmer, as you don't want to boil off the alcohol. Then leave at the lowest heat for an hour or more, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced a little and become slightly syrupy.
• Allow to cool.
• Mix together 1 part vodka or brandy with 3 parts of the cooled blackcurrant-wine syrup, and funnel into clean, dry bottles. Store in a cool place for at least 2 weeks before drinking.
• Use whenever a recipe/cocktail calls for creme de cassis.