The beneficial properties of black currant have been familiar to humanity from time immemorial. Therefore, the fruit crop is used in the preparation of jams, preserves, juices, compotes and is simply ground with sugar. But if fragrant jam from black or red currants is prepared with young cherry leaves, then the taste and beneficial properties of the delicacy will increase many times, and guests will never guess what kind of jam they were treated to.
Features of making currant jam with cherry leaves for the winter
There are several ways to prepare currant jam with the addition of young cherry leaves.
In the first case, a decoction of the leaves is prepared separately, and only then ripe berries are added to it.
In the second option, the leaves are boiled together with the currants, and then removed from the finished product.
Advice! To get a rich and tasty delicacy, use only high-quality, ripe fruits.
Product selection and preparation
The choice of berries depends on taste preferences. Both red and black currants are suitable for jam. Before cooking, the fruits are washed, dried, separated from the stalks and sorted for spoiled and bruised specimens.
It is preferable to collect cherry leaves when they are young; they contain the most beneficial substances and aromas. Before cooking, they are thoroughly washed and dried.
How to prepare containers for the start of the process
To make jam you will need:
- A saucepan for cooking broth.
- A basin or pan with low sides made of stainless steel, Teflon coated or any enamel cookware.
- A wooden spatula or spoon is best for stirring.
- Sterilized jars or special containers for the finished product.
Aluminum cookware is not suitable for cooking preserves, jams and confitures. The already high acidity of the berries increases even more when they come into contact with such basins and pans.
Important! The lower the sides of the dishes, the faster the excess liquid will evaporate, and the delicacy will become thick and viscous..
How to make currant jam with cherry leaves at home
There are no complicated steps in making delicious, homemade, aromatic jam. Therefore, even novice housewives can cook this delicacy.
Recipe with black currants
To make jam using the first method you will need:
- Ripe, sorted berries: 1 kilogram.
- Cherry leaves: 2 cups.
- Sugar corresponds to the number of berries, 1 kilogram. If the fruits are very sour, then the amount of sugar is increased to 1.5 kilograms.
- To prepare the decoction you will need 300 milliliters of clean water.
Preparation of the delicacy begins with boiling the infusion. The leaves are poured with water, brought to a boil and boiled for 10-15 minutes.
Add prepared berries to the strained, hot broth and boil for 10 to 15 minutes, then add granulated sugar and cook for another 15-20 minutes, periodically removing the resulting foam.
The cooked jam is placed in carefully sterilized prepared containers and closed.
For the second method, exactly the same amount of products is used, only the leaves are boiled together with the berries. And when the product is ready, the cherry leaves are removed from the syrup.
Advice! The jam is poured hot into sterilized containers.
Option with red currants
Red currants are most often used for making compotes, jellies, and marmalades. Also, fruits are often added to desserts, dairy products, nectars and juices. But experienced housewives make amazing preserves and jams from red currant berries.
To make jam you will need:
- Red currants in the amount of 10-12 glasses.
- Granulated sugar: from 13 to 15 glasses, depending on the acidity of the berries.
- Cherry leaves: 15-20 pieces.
- Drinking water in the amount of 1 liter.
The leaves are poured with water, brought to a boil, the pan is covered with a lid and cooked for another 15 minutes. Add berries to the hot, strained broth, boil for 10-15 minutes, add granulated sugar. Cook the jam over low heat for 15-20 minutes, removing any foam that has formed if necessary.
Advice! To prevent red currant jam from turning out liquid, 4-5 hours before cooking, cover the berries with gelatin.
The hot finished product is poured into storage containers.
Storage rules
The rules for storing the finished product depend on the containers used and the preservation method. If the jam is expected to be stored for a long time, then the cooled, rolled up jars are sent to a dark, cool place. In other cases, the currant delicacy is stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
Currant jam will be an excellent help during periods of exacerbation of colds and viral diseases. A large amount of vitamin C, which is part of the fruit, will help to quickly cope with the disease and increase the body's resistance to seasonal diseases.
