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For winter preparations, black currants can not only be boiled, but also fried. In the process, the berries seem to be covered with a crust of caramel, maintaining their integrity, the resulting dessert looks very attractive. Cooking blackcurrants in a frying pan is much faster than “classic” jam. The technology is extremely simple; even a novice cook can easily master it.
How to fry currants and sugar in a frying pan
The berries are quickly fried in a “dry” frying pan heated to the required temperature. The largest and ripest of them quickly burst, the juice and sugar are mixed, becoming syrup. The remaining ones are covered with a caramel crust. Videos demonstrating how to prepare fried blackcurrant jam help to visualize the process more clearly.
Its taste is more natural, and the sourness characteristic of fresh berries is preserved. The recipe provides for proportions that differ from traditional ones: to fry blackcurrants, three times less sugar is required than berries. Therefore, there is no sugariness in the finished dessert, which not everyone likes. It also has less calories than the “classic” version.
Blackcurrant jam fried in a frying pan turns out to be quite thick, the syrup is a bit like jelly. At high temperatures, the released pectin immediately “seizes” and thickens. The “fried” workpiece is then very convenient to use as a filling for baked goods.
For frying, take a fairly large cast iron frying pan (20 cm in diameter). The higher its sides, the better. A wide saucepan or cauldron is also suitable. Before pouring berries onto it, it needs to be heated well (optimal temperature is 150-200°C). This is easy to check - a drop of water that falls to the bottom evaporates instantly, without even having time to hiss.
Five-minute blackcurrant jam in a frying pan
The technology for making blackcurrant jam fried in a frying pan is extremely simple:
- Sort through the berries, getting rid of “substandard”, plant and other debris.
- Rinse them in cool running water, pouring them into a colander in small portions. Or you can briefly fill them with water in a large container so that the liquid covers it completely. 3-5 minutes are enough for particles of debris that cannot be removed manually to float to the surface. After this, the water is drained.
- Dry on paper or regular towels, clean cloth napkins, changing them several times. You cannot fry wet blackcurrants.
- Heat the frying pan until red hot. Check the temperature by dropping water on it.
- Pour berries onto the bottom. It’s more convenient and faster to fry them in small, approximately equal portions, measuring 3 cups at a time. Shake the pan slightly, distributing them throughout the bottom.
- Fry for 3-5 minutes over maximum heat, stirring gently with a spatula. During this time, the largest berries should crack and release juice.
- Add a glass of sugar in a thin stream.
- Without stopping stirring and without reducing the heat, continue to fry the blackcurrants. You can’t cover the jam with a lid either. The syrup should boil vigorously throughout the entire cooking process. It will be ready in 5-8 minutes, when all the sugar crystals have dissolved.
- Pour the jam into prepared jars. They need to be thoroughly washed and sterilized. Close the lids (previously keep them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes).
- Turn the jars of jam upside down, wrap them up, and let them cool completely. You can store them not only in the refrigerator, but also in the basement, cellar, pantry, on a glazed balcony, or other cool place.
Dessert prepared according to technology can be stored for 2 years.
Redcurrant jelly in a frying pan
Red and white currants can also be fried in a frying pan, making preparations for the winter. But the first one is most often used to make jelly, so the technology is slightly different. To thicken the syrup even more, you need to fry the red currants longer, about 20-25 minutes. Or they increase the amount of sugar, adding it as much as berries. They are prepared for frying in a frying pan as described above.
The “raw materials” are sorted out, getting rid of leaves, twigs, and other debris, then the currants must be thoroughly washed
The requirements for the utensil itself also do not change.While preparing the jam, stir it continuously, waiting until all the berries burst and the sugar is completely dissolved. Before pouring into jars, the finished product is filtered through a sieve and cheesecloth. Only liquid should get into them, without seeds or burst skin.
There is no need to turn the jars upside down here - by this point the jelly has already hardened
Conclusion
Blackcurrants in a frying pan are an original and very tasty homemade preparation. Compared to traditional jam, this winter dessert can be prepared very quickly and simply. No additional ingredients other than berries and sugar are required. Covered with a caramel crust, they look very presentable. Heat treatment takes a minimum of time, so they retain most of the vitamins and other useful substances.
