Blackcurrant & Vanilla Cordial

Saturday 6 July 2019



Our blackcurrants are coming fast and furious now.  In all truth in about a week, they will be all done, and what's left on our bush will be left to the birds to enjoy. They don't mind one iota, and neither do I.  Give nature back a bit of what it gifts you with is my motto. 



I love to make fruit cordials in the summer with some of our soft fruits. I do freeze a lot, and I even freeze some of the cordials for the winter. If you pop them into an ice cube tray, you can just pop them out once frozen into a baggie and you have single servings of cordial  to enjoy all winter long. You can't beat the taste of a homemade fruit cordial made with real fruit! 



I have always loved the flavour of blackcurrants.  Back home my favourite Halls cough drops were the Blackcurrant ones.  Cordials are really easy to make.  You just mix fruit, sugar, water  . . . 



Cook to extract the juice, and thicken it, then strain.  This time I added a vanilla bean to infuse it with some delicious vanilla flavour. You can leave it out if you want, but I really like the special touch it adds to the finished cordial, both scent and taste . . .


You end up with a really thick strong fruity syrup, which makes a wonderfully refreshing drink when diluted! 



When diluting I use a ration of one part cordial to 3 parts of whatever I am mixing it with. You can use sparkling water, regular water, fizzy lemonade, etc.  



It makes a really refreshing and delicious drink poured over ice.  I like it mixed with a fizzy drink like 7-up or Sprite . . . 




You can spoon the syrup over ice cream if you wish . . .


Add it to vanilla ice cream and milk to make fruity milk shakes . . .


Its pretty wonderful no matter how you choose to enjoy it! 



You can use just about any berry in the same quantities to make a cordial, or a mix of berries, always delicious! 



Whenever I am making cordial I always think of Anne Shirley and her friend Diana getting drunk on Cordial that had fermented and turned alcoholic.  Don't you just love the story of Anne of Green Gables? 



Its one of my favourite stories.  A simpler time with  simple pleasures.  Just like this simple homemade cordial . . .

Yield: 450ml or scant 2 cups
Author:

Black Currant & Vanilla Cordial

Sweet and fruity. Mix 1 part cordial with 3 parts water, sparkling water, sparkling lemonade, etc. for a deliciously refreshing summer drink. You can actually use any berry to make this, or a mix of berries.

ingredients:

  • 300g Black currants or other berries (3 cups)
  • 160g sugar (1/2 cup plus 5 TBS)
  • 325 ml cold water (1 1/3 cups)
  • 1 large vanilla pod, split and caviar scraped out

instructions:

How to cook Black Currant & Vanilla Cordial

  1. Pick over and clean your currants.  Place into a saucepan.  Add the vanilla pod and its caviar.  Sprinkle the sugar over top. Pour in the water.  Bring to a simmer over moderate heat.  Mash the fruit as it cooks with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally over low heat until the fruit has cooked and the sugar is dissolved. It won't take long.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve.  Strain again and then pour into a glass bottle or jar with a lid. You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to one month or freeze for longer. (If freezing it is more practical to freeze in smaller amounts so that you can thaw out only what you need. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays and then once frozen, pop them into a zip lock baggie.  Presto, individual servings!)
Created using The Recipes Generator



At any rate, I hope you will give this delicious fruit cordial a go and that you will enjoy it.  Such a simple thing, and so very wonderful . . . 




10 comments

  1. As soon as I saw the title of this recipe, and the gorgeous picture of the cordial in the glass....I immediately thought of Anne Shirley! I love that series so much....and I am going to love this recipe! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Bunchie! I hope you enjoy it! I also enjoy the series very much! Thanks so much for commenting! xoxo

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Thanks Monique, it really is pretty isn't it! xoxo

      Delete
  3. I am totally enamored with this recipe. Thank you.
    PS Love your beverage glass.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks very much Katy! It is a part of a set I got at a local home store. Pressed glass pitcher and four glasses. Very pretty! xoxo

      Delete
  4. I've never made a cordial before. This looks so refreshing and delicious and I suppose you could make it with a lot of different fruits. And by the way, your glasses are so pretty. They look gorgeous with the cordial!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can use all sorts of fruits and berries Jeanie. It is basically a fruit syrup made with the juices of the fruit! Very nice by the way! Especially when mixed with something sparkling! I love my glasses. A lucky find and just cheap pressd glass, but very pretty! xoxo

      Delete
  5. Is it possible to make the cordial with frozen fruits?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't see why not Bahloul! Let me know how you get on!

      Delete

Thanks for stopping by. I love to hear from you so do not be shy!


BEFORE LEAVING A COMMENT OR RATING, ASK YOURSELF:
Did you make the recipe as directed? Recipe results are not guaranteed when changes have been made.

Is this comment helpful to other readers? Rude or hateful comments will not be approved. Remember that this website is run by a real person.

Are you here to complain about ads? Please keep in mind that I develop these recipes and provide them to you for free. Advertising helps to defray my cost of doing so, and allows me to continue to post regular fresh content.

Thanks so much for your understanding! I appreciate you!