Picking and preparing black currants
We're using berries from Ribes aureum gracillimum - Golden Currant. Most of the other Goose Berries or Currants. will also work.
Pick the bunch
When you pick the fruit try to get the whole bunch. If you try to pick individual berries it is really hard to get the flowers of the berries and the fruits get damaged.
Clip off the flowers
Use a pair of scissors to trim of the flowers. If you try to pull them off, half the fruit comes of with them.
Clip off the berries
Use the scissors to trim the berries from the stem.
Wash them in cold water.
We don't use warm water because it would cause fruit to burst.
Dry them
Dry them off so they won't make the cookies soggy.
Fill each cookie with about a tablespoon of berries.
Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or as is.
Recipe for Black Currant Tarts
Sugar cookie crust
(Based on a sugar cookie recipe from Joy of cooking)
Sift together:
2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons double-acting backing powder
¾ teaspoon salt
Combine:
½ cup sugar
¾ cup softened butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix wet and dry ingredients
Press into tart tins (or make sugar cookies with a depression in the middle)
Bake for about 8 minutes at 375°
Allow to cool before adding fruit
You can learn more about edible California native plants at Incredible edibles.
You can learn more about currants and gooseberries at the currants and gooseberries page.
