As you know, currants have many beneficial properties, so they are often used to make dessert. The impeccable taste of sugar-free currant jam for the winter and its benefits last for a long time.
Features of making blackcurrant jam without sugar
Before cooking any preserved food, you need to take care of the utensils used in the cooking process.The delicacy must be cooked in an enamel pan or using a multicooker equipped with a bowl with a non-stick coating.
When preparing a blackcurrant dessert, it is important to exclude any contact of the berries with metal. Use only plastic or wooden tools.
Making jam is possible only from ripe berries, collected a week after full ripening. It is not recommended to keep the crop on branches for a long time, since the amount of useful elements in currants slowly decreases.
Storage of the collected product should not be long; it is better to cook the jam immediately after collection.
The main feature of making currant berry jam is that the preparation does not proceed without the process of grinding the berries through a sieve. This will allow those who do not like their presence in the finished product not to think about the presence of skins and seeds.
Preparing containers and products
Proper sterilization of jars and lids is important, otherwise germs will penetrate into the dessert and it will spoil.
Note! To seal currant jam, varnished lids are used, since ordinary metal is strongly oxidized under the influence of berry juice.
Glass containers are thoroughly washed with warm water and soda and rinsed several times in cold water. Afterwards, sterilization is carried out over a kettle, in the oven for several minutes.
You should not choose currants that are too large for jam; the berries will quickly burst and spread. It is better to take a medium-sized product with the same ripeness for dessert. The fruits should be:
- Black.
- Dense.
- Shiny.
Before making jam:
- the berries are being picked;
- washed out;
- ponytails are removed;
- the fruits are dried on a clean towel.
Best cooking methods
The choice of currant preparations for the winter can be different, it all depends on taste preference.
A simple recipe for sugar-free currants for the winter
To make jam, you will need 1 kg of berries.
How to prepare dessert:
- The currants are washed and dried.
- Berries are poured into jars to the brim.
- The container is placed in a pan, water is poured in, which should reach the shoulders of the jar.
- The water is heated, but should not be brought to a boil so that the container is not damaged.
- As the currants boil, fresh ones are added. This process is carried out until it is noticeable that the berries will no longer settle.
- Cover the jars with lids and cook the jam for another hour.
The container is rolled up, turned over and cools down in this position.
Option with red currants
To prepare a red and black currant dessert, you will need the following ingredients:
- berries – 1 kg (there should be 2 times more black currants than red currants);
- sugar – 1.5-2 kg.
Cooking process.
- The berries are separated from the branches and washed.
- Place in a bowl and bring to a boil over low heat. If the currants are dry, you can add a little water.
- When the main ingredient boils and bursts, add the required amount of granulated sugar. The amount of sugar will depend on how sweet the berries are, the required shelf life and the thickness of the jam.
- Again the mass is brought to a boil over low heat.
- Sometimes you need to stir the jam and remove the foam.
- The dessert is boiled for 10-15 minutes, and to preserve the jam for a longer period, it needs to be cooked for up to half an hour.
The delicacy is served hot. Afterwards it should stand for 20 minutes in an open jar. This is necessary so that a protective layer is formed on the dessert.Then the jar is rolled up or covered with a plastic lid.
Blackcurrant jam with fructose for diabetics
When preparing dessert for diabetics, you need to prepare the following ingredients:
- black currant – 1 kg;
- fructose – 750 gr. (1 kg sorbitol);
- agar-agar – 15 gr.
The main ingredient is cleared of twigs and placed in a colander to rinse. Then the berries need to be chopped. You can use a blender.
The finished mixture is transferred to a saucepan, fructose and agar-agar are sprinkled on top, everything is mixed.
Next, the pan is sent to the fire, the mixture is cooked until it boils. Afterwards the jam is poured into jars and they are sealed.
How and for how long can the preparations be stored?
The storage conditions for currant jam are simple. This can be a cool, dark place, as all winter preparations like.
Storage is possible for several years, the delicacy will not lose its beneficial properties.
