Blackcurrants are not for everyone. Even deep black, they still taste tart from the bush and take some getting used to. But as a treat for blackbirds, thrushes, finches and starlings, the cassis, which is particularly popular in France, is somehow too good. Making jam out of it is one option. All fans of fruity spirits should warm their hearts with option two. Cassis liqueur or crème de cassis, as the deep red classic is called in Bourgogne, cannot (unfortunately) be spread on bread. Properly prepared, the fruity liqueur will flatter your palate at least as much on mild summer evenings on the balcony. And that’s not even that difficult.
We’ll tell you the recipe with just five ingredients and explain how to care for your homemade crème de cassis. Spoiler: Good things take time.
By the way, black currants are real vitamin bombs. A little more than 50 grams of the small berries cover the recommended daily dose of vitamin C for a healthy adult. Cassis also scores with lots of vitamin E and vitamins B3 and B5. Black currants are also recommended as a source of potassium and calcium. The contained omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can also protect against oxidative stress. In short: blackcurrants can easily compete with their tart red buddies and many other berries in terms of nutritional value. But back to the topic.
In addition to the ingredients already mentioned, the following kitchen utensils should be available on the worktop for the preparation:
And off you go:
The fruits should then swim in the schnapps for at least three months so that the cassis liqueur can develop its full flavor at the first tasting. Basically, the longer the fruit slumbers in the double grain (or vodka), the finer the aroma. Tip: Write the preparation date on the bottom of the glass with a permanent marker. Important: The mixture must be turned and stirred regularly. Therefore, make sure that the jar is tightly closed. The glass can be opened without hesitation for stirring. The high-proof alcohol and sugar prevent the fruit from going moldy. Incidentally, in the original crème de cassis, the black currants remain in the schnapps for a whole year.
The approach looks delicious after two to three months, but you can’t drink it like that. Before the Cassis liqueur is bottled, the fruit and suspended matter have to be removed. This works either with a standard linen cloth, a special cheesecloth or cheesecloth, a classic coffee filter or a stainless steel funnel with a mesh filter. The principle is always the same. The set is pushed through the filter material in portions. And so often until the liqueur has the desired purity. If you don’t have a problem with suspended matter, you only need to press the mixture through the strainer once. Otherwise, several passes are usually necessary.
Then it’s time for bottling. A few empty liqueur bottles should be ready for this, which, like the starter glass, must be rinsed out with hot water before filling. A stainless steel funnel, which is inserted into the neck of the bottle, helps with bottling. Important: close the filled bottles well and store in the dark if you want to give away the fine wine later. And if you want to try it straight away: À ta santé!
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