Got an allotment? Grow blackcurrants? Then you need this traditional Homemade Blackcurrant Cassis recipe in your life. End of story :)
I first wrote this recipe for a traditional creme de cassis, using homegrown blackcurrants, back in 2016.
As I’ve just restocked my supplies of this fabulous homemade blackcurrant liqueur, I thought it prudent to give this post a tidy up and reshare it with you before the best blackcurrant season I’ve ever known is over!
This recipe is one of my most popular during the summer months when blackcurrants are abundant.
Homemade Blackcurrant Cassis the taste of summer
Ohhhh boy.
I’m not one to get overly excited about boozy things (apart from maybe these Mojito ice lollies).
But this delectable syrup is a bottle of pure summery sunshine.
At first sip, you get the scent of fresh blackcurrants.
This is quickly followed by a nice warm glow.
Before tailing off with a sweet childhood memory of the taste of Ribena.
Weird and wonderful all at the same time!
How to use up your blackcurrant harvest
Blackcurrants aren’t the most exciting or anticipated of my summer fruity harvests.
They aren’t quite sweet enough to scoff straight from the bush like the strawberries or raspberries.
And whilst they always go well in a crumble or pie, I’ve never found a blackcurrant recipe that I look forward to making all year long.
However, there’s a strong possibility that has now all changed.
I love pulling out a cute little hip flask of this blackcurrant cassis when sat around the campfire with friends.
And if you can make a bottle or two last until Christmas, you’ll be rewarded by the scent and taste of summer.
Either enjoy a tot neat or use a dash of your homebrew cassis to make a fancy Kir Royal cocktail. Your guests will be extra impressed when you tell them you brewed it yourself!
If you give this recipe a go, do let me know what you think in the comments below.
A blackcurrant recipe for the blackcurrant season
Blackcurrant season generally runs from July into August here in Cornwall.
Be warned that the birds like blackcurrants too. So, if your bushes aren’t netted off from aerial attacks, you might lose your fruit long before the season technically finishes.
You could certainly use frozen fruit for this recipe. I would defrost and drain any excess water from them before using. It is possible that any extra water might dilute the preserving action of the alcohol and sugar.
If you come to this recipe too late in the season, please do bookmark or pin the recipe for next year. I promise it’ll be worth the wait ;)
How to Make Blackcurrant Liqueur (Creme de Cassis)
1/ Prep the fruit
Wash, dry and pick through your blackcurrants, removing any bugs, leave or other debris.
2/ Gently crush the currants
Pour into a large glass jar and gently smash the currants with the back of a spoon (or the handle of a potato masher!)
3/ Add the sugar and alcohol
I used caster sugar, but you could also use granulated. It’ll just take a little longer to dissolve.
Traditionally cassis is made with brandy, but you could make an equally delicious liqueur by swapping the brandy with vodka.
I use a very cheap supermarket brandy, as the sugar smoothes out any roughness anyway.
4/ Stir and let rest
Give it all a good stir, then cover and sit on a sunny windowsill for about a week.
Be sure to give it a stir at least once a day, and after a week the sugar should all have dissolved.
At this point you can move the jar to somewhere dark and cool. Over teh next few weeks the alcohol will extract all the colour, flavour and scent from the fruit.
5/ Strain & bottle up
After about six weeks, your cassis liqueur will be ready.
Lay a piece of muslin over a large sieve that is suspended over a large saucepan or bowl.
Carefully pour the fruit and syrup into the muslin cloth and let sit for a couple of hours to drip through.
Decant the blackcurrant brandy into clean, sterile bottles. Add a label and stash somewhere cool and dry.
So long as the bottles are squeaky clean, your liqueur will last safely for years.
Oh, and if you don’t currently grow them, why not treat yourself to a couple of bushes?
Find out everything you need to know about growing blackcurrants here.
Janie x
- 500 g blackcurrants
- 170 g sugar - I used caster sugar, but granulated would work too, it'll just take a little longer to dissolve.
- 500 ml brandy
Pick through the blackcurrants, removing stems leaves and bugs.
Wash if necessary and dry on a clean tea towel.
- Pop the currants into a large glass jar or wide mouthed bottle and crush gently with the back of a large spoon.
Add in the sugar and brandy and stir well.
Cover and stand the jar on a sunny windowsill until the sugar has all dissolved.
Be sure to and give it a stir once or twice a day.
After a minimum of one month, and a maximum of four months, strain the fruit.
Line a sieve with a piece of clean muslin and strain the liqueur into a clean pan or bowl below.
Don't squash the currants, instead allow them to slowly drip through the sieve.
The leftover boozey blackcurrants can be used in an (adult only!) dessert such as a crumble or pie.
Pour the cassis liqueur into clean, sterile bottles. Label with the contents and date, and store somewhere cool and dry.
Elizabeth says
oh my gosh I NEED this in my life! If I source more blackcurrants I am so making this!
Jane Sarchet says
Elizabeth, you really really do! :D
Janie x
Susan says
I finally found a source for black currents this year. They came flash frozen. Do you think they will work for cassis?
Jane Sarchet says
Yes, I imagine they would be perfect Susan. DO let me know how you get on :)
Janie x
Stephen says
Works well with blackberries as well
Jane Sarchet says
Oooh, nice!
Dan says
Great way to use up a glut of blackcurrants, mine is currently sunbathing on the windowsill :)
Jane Sarchet says
Enjoy Dan!
Janie x
Janice @FarmersgirlCook says
Oh, you used brandy. That would be interesting. I’ll see how much cheap brandy I have left after the Christmas cake and pud are made and I might make a small quantity of this. Always have some blackcurrants in the freezer. Great recipe.
Phill says
How much cassis did you end up with?
Jeff the Chef says
I had no idea one could make cassis this way! How does it keep? Do you keep it in the refrigerator?
Jane Sarchet says
No need Jeff, the alcohol will keep it safe and fresh indefinitely :)
Jane x
Angela says
I’m going straight to the supermarket for cheap brandy! Just harvested 1.6kg of blackcurrants (stripped the last berries on the bush). What a brilliant way to use this fruit. Was thinking of making ice cream or syrup when I found your blog. Might do all three. Thanks Janie.
Jane Sarchet says
YES! You are going to be in blackcurranty heaven!
Jane x
Liz Berrill says
I’ve made this cassis two years running with my crops from the allotment. It was so yummy the first year I made two litres this year. It’s sat in my kitchen waiting to be ready to bottle, like big jewels. Thank you for this lovely recipe.
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Liz, thank you so much for your lovely comment. It totally made my day!
It’s so lovely to think people out there are tasting my recipes and that they bring them joy, that’s what it’s all about :)
Janie x
Joan kemp says
I’ve just discovered your recipe – I adore blackcurrants. Will try with last year’s which are still in the freezer – sounds as if it will vie with sloe gin as a family favourite… (sloe g&t, cassis g&t…)
Jane Sarchet says
I hope you love it just as much as the slow gin Joan!
Janie x
Martin Dawes says
Thanks for the recipe. I replaced brandy with Aldi vodka plus 70ml of brandy for extra whoomf. Now on the windowsill. Nice site. Reading through it. P S: chose your recipe above a US one which seriously advised keeping it in the fridge!
Jane Sarchet says
Hay Martin! With the amount of alcohol and sugar in the recipe, I don’t think we have to worry about keeping it in the fridge :)
how was the extra whoomf?!
Jane x
Vicky Rosling says
Just found this- can’t wait to try it. What kind of sugar do you use?
Jane Sarchet says
I used caster sugar Vicky, but granulated would work too, It will just take a little longer to dissolve.
Jane x
Erica Chisholm says
Hi, I am really keen to try this recipe but have just frozen my currant stash – would I need to defrost before adding the sugar and brandy? Thanks for your feedback.
Erica
Jane Sarchet says
If they are recently frozen I wouldn’t imagine it would make a difference Erica. If they’d been in the freezer long enough to get frosty, I would defrost and drain before using so as not to dilute the preserving nature of the alcohol.
Jane x
sharon George says
I have found only dried currants where I live. Can I make them work?
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Sharon, thanks for your message.
Honestly, I haven;t tried it myself but I don’t think that would work (and certainly wouldn’t taste like Ribena).
However, if you do give it a go Sharon, would you let us all know how it goes?
Janie x
Steve C says
2020 has just arrived and Blackcurrants are ripening here in Tasmania.
We only have two bushes but they are absolutely covered in berries each year. (Not so much from the red or white currants) Last year we made heaps of jam and other goodies before I came across a recipe for Cassis using vodka. I used what was left of the blackcurrants to make 2 litres. It was a taste treat, and apparently ‘Hercule Poirot’s ‘favourite tipple.
I wondered whether I could use something other than vodka and searched the internet. Plenty suggested gin but I knew what I wanted as soon as I found your artcle. Brandy sounds so much more inviting than vodka or gin. I’m going to make a few Lts using a good quality brandy and see how much of a difference it makes.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
Thanks
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Steve, thanks for your lovely message all the way from sunny Tassy! I do hope you’re all safe over there :)
Do let us know how the Cassis measures up to the vodka version!
Janie x
Paul Birks says
Made this recipe last year. not only a great drink, but a great cough medicine! Will often take in 100ml to work for colleagues who cannot sleep to use as cough medicine. Thi years blackcurrants are mid pick, we get about 20lbs. Will save about 5 lbs for this recipe! Thats 5 bottles!! wooohooo!
Jane Sarchet says
Paul, your message made my day!
I’ve never even thought to use it as a cough medicine, I will certainly be given it a go the next time I get a cough :)
Jane x
Liz says
Hi, does it matter what sugar is used for this? Thanks so much. Liz
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Liz, I used white caster sugar. But you could also use granulated sugar too, it might just take a little longer to dissolve.
Jane x
Shelley says
Made this last summer, and it was so good…this year I made 3 batches. Thanks for a great recipe! I used St Remy VSOP French Brandy. Absolutely delicious.
Jane Sarchet says
Oh, good move Shelley! We planted more blackcurrants bushes last year so we can maximise production this year too!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
Jane x
Vivien Moore says
Hello Janie
Thanks for your recipe. I have just made some cassis using blackcurrants from our garden.
I froze them and hope they will work. Hoping to give little bottles as part of Christmas presents.
I made blackcurrant cordial when they were fresh it was delicious.
We live on the Lizard. The hedgerows are abundant and we made elderflower bubbly earlier it was delicious. I also made blackcurrwnt jam.
Kind regards
Viv
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Viv, how wonderful! It was a great year for blackcurrants wasn’t it :)
Jane x
Sue says
Loving this recipe, have some cassis on the go now after a huge crop of blackcurrants from the bush on our allotment this year, and still having quite a few in the freezer from last year. Might have to start another lot off as daughter has spotted it and asked for a bottle to be included in their xmas hamper (think they would disown me if they didn’t get their hampers every year!!). We had so many blackcurrant that I have also made a blackcurrant & thyme sorbet, blackcurrant & cointreu ice cream and a batch of my usual blackcurrant cordial which the grandkids love.
Jane Sarchet says
Sue, you are the best gift giver EVER!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
Jane x
Sue says
Hi Jane, I have just bottled up 5 bottles and wondering what to do with the boozy blackcurrants. Thinking boozy apple & blackcurrant jam or just blending them to a puree for ice cream. Any other ideas?
Jane Sarchet says
Ours mostly end up in a crumble, but I love the ice cream idea! Do let me know how it turns out!
Jane x
katie says
I have left my bandy for about 3.5 months now, so looking forward to trying it. What recipes do you recommend for using the strained blackcurrants?
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Katie, I give mine to my Mum and I think she had them with ice cream!
You could also add them as a ‘topping with attitude’ to things like a rice pudding :)
Enjoy!
Jane x
Rebecca says
Hi. I am so disappointed and I don’t know what went wrong. I made this in July/ august, whenever the black currants were ripe. It was delicious . I decided to keep until xmas to have with champagne. It tasted awful. It had been kept in a glass decanter with stopper. Do you think it is because it wasn’t in an airtight bottle. It tasted like damp smells if you can understand what I mean. Such a shame as it was delicious when I made it.
Jane Sarchet says
Damn, that’s so horribly disappointing Rebecca :(
OK, could anything have got into the decanter? Any moisture or even fruit flies?
Alcohol and sugar are both strong preservers. Water is the thing that causes things to mould or turn exactly how described. Any ideas?
Jane x
ND says
I make Blackcurrent gin which is similar, but the left over fruit I add to melted strong dark chocolate. I’ll give the brandy version a go (need to get some chocolate :)).
Jane Sarchet says
Dang, that chocolate sounds goooood!!!
Dave says
We have a very bountiful black currant bush in our yard..I made it with some 44 I made last instead of brandy…I thought orange and black currants would go well. We will see what happens Oct.18!
Jane Sarchet says
Oooh, nice! Love that you’ve got the date marked in stone Dave :)
Janie x
Irina Colligon says
I have been making Creme de Cassis for years (one of the best ways to use up the annual glut), using a variety of recipes – all based on vodka, though I finally settled on one similar to Jane’s. Here are my observations:
1. One book I read said it takes 4 years to mature – they were right! So, make a LOT. This way, if impatient, you can taste it along the way and have a chance of having some left after 4 years. Or just make it every year!
2. Whether I use fresh or frozen (defrosted) berries does not seem to make a difference, even if they have been in the freezer for a couple of years. (We keep them in zippered bags).
3. I do not wash the berries, just get rid of the leaves, stems, etc. (I do not remove the flower end, like suggested on some other sites!) This is especially important if freezing them – pick and freeze right away. (Beware, though, they have LOADS of wild yeast, which will likely make them ferment in non-alcoholic or low alcohol recipes).
4. To mash the berries, I use the immersion mixer. I have tried hand mashing, but found it takes a lot of effort, does not mash the berries as well, and does not seem to affect the taste.
5. If using frozen berries, I do not rinse them off – if they were not washed before, there is little or no ice.
6. When giving it as a gift, tell the recipients to sip, not chug – it is too good and too strong for chugging.
7. DO NOT discard the skins – as mentioned by others, they are awesome on and in ice cream. You can also use them instead of berries in cooking . For a savoury dish, I use them with pork chops. For storage, just put them in a really clean jar – with all the sugar and alcohol still left on them, they do not need refrigeration (at least in south-eastern Pennsylvania, where it gets rather warm).
Meantime, I am off to make Jane’s “Ribena”…
Jane Sarchet says
Four years??? Oh my goodness Irina, I need to go and hide a couple of bottles immediately!!!
Thank you so much for sharing all your tips, and I hope you love the Ribena too!
Janie x
Ron Ross says
Hi Janie. Just finished bottling up a batch of cassis on Vancouver Island.we used 40percent cougar leakings and it is the cats meow.
The lady doing the distilling is very good, and all is charcoal filtered. I prune her trees and and do the grafting,she supplies the hooch. There are no limits when you have talent in the neighbourhood.
Ron R.
Jane Sarchet says
Sounds just wonderful Ron!
Jane x