White Currant Jelly-Jam
White Currant Jelly-Jam is a delicately flavoured jelly-like preserve. It is simple to make, so if you see some white currants or grow them in your garden then this recipe is a must!
What does White Currant Jelly-Jam taste like?
It tastes similar to red currant jelly although I think it is a little sweeter. I love the peachy colour which develops as the berries cook and it sets really easily.
What are White Currants?
The White Currant is a cultivar of the red currant, it’s a deciduous shrub. And, like the blackcurrant, it grows its fruit on old wood.
Where can I find White Currants?
If you are very lucky you will find white currants at a farmers market or from a fruit farm. The best way to guarantee a supply is to grow them yourself.
I was fortunate because I got my white currants from a work colleague who grows them in her garden.
Are white currants easy to grow?
All currants are fairly easy to grow although the birds are just as fond of the fruit as we are. So you may have to net your berry bushes if you want to enjoy making this White Currant Jelly-Jam
How to Grow Blackcurrants
Read my Step-by-Step Guide: How to Grow Blackcurrants for all the information you need to successfully grow your own blackcurrants, redcurrants and white currants. The process is the same for all the currants.
CAN YOU FREEZE WHITE CURRANTS?
White Currants freeze really well. You simply place them on a tray in a single layer. Open freeze and then put into a freezer-proof container.
Why do you call it White Currant Jelly-Jam?
White Currant Jelly Jam is unusual, it is not quite a jam, because you sieve the berries. And it is not quite jelly as it has a slight thickness from the white currant flesh.
It does look like a jelly but it is not completely clear as a jelly should be which is why I decided to call it Jelly Jam!
Jam Making Tips and FAQs
WHY DO I NEED A LARGE PAN TO MAKE JAM?
You need a large pan to make jams because when the sugar boils it rises in the pan. It will boil over if you don’t have a big enough pan.
HOW DO I STERILISE MY JAM JARS?
I sterilise my jam jars and metal lids by thoroughly washing and rinsing them. I then put them, still wet, upside down onto a baking tray and place it in the oven at 150C just before I start to make the jam.
The water creates steam which helps to sterilise the jars. I take them out of the oven and fill them with the hot jam, then put on the lids. There are other methods but this is how I sterilise my jars.
DO I NEED TO WATER BATH THE JAM?
No. I have never water-bathed jam. All my jams, jellies, and marmalade stay in good condition for at least a year kept in a cool dry cupboard.
In some countries, water bathing is common practice and often used for lower sugar recipes
WHAT DOES A ROLLING BOIL LOOK LIKE?
I learned about jam-making from my Mum and my grandmother. A lot of what you learn in cooking and baking is very visual. It’s much easier to understand when you can see what you are aiming for.
So here is a little help with the main techniques for jam making. The video above will show you what a ”rolling boil’ looks like.
THE WRINKLE TEST – IS THE JAM GOING TO SET?
Once the jam has boiled, you will need to check if it will set (firm up) once cooled. There are many different ways to test for setting point.
- Use a jam thermometer
- The ‘flake’ test where it drips off your spoon
- The wrinkle test
I always use the wrinkle test it is simple and has not failed me yet.
HOW DO I DO THE WRINKLE TEST FOR JAM?
Place some saucers in the fridge before you start making the jam because the cold plate helps speed up the cooling of the jam for the test.
Boil your jam for 15 minutes, take the pan off the heat, and put a teaspoon of the jam onto one of the cold saucers.
Place the saucer in the fridge and leave for 5 minutes. Then remove the saucer and push your finger across the jam. If it wrinkles, you can skim off the froth and pot up your jam. See the quick video above.
More Jelly Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen
More Fruit Jellies
- Kavey’s Apple Lemon Verbena Jelly – Kavey Eats
- Crab Apple Jelly – Fuss Free Flavours
- Rochelle’s Grape Jelly – It’s Not Easy Being Greedy
- Plum Jelly: Sunshine in a Jar – Kavey Eats
White Currant Jelly Jam
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- weighing scales
- Sieve
- long wooden spoon
- 1 glass jam jar with lid
- saucers
Ingredients
- 220 grams (1.5 cups) White currants rinsed and removed from their stems.
- 300 millilitres (1.3 cups) water
- 230 grams (1.2 cups) sugar
Instructions
- Put the white currants and water into a large saucepan with the water.
- Simmer the white currants and water until the fruit begins to collapse.
- Add the sugar and cook gently until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring to a rolling boil and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and test for set using the wrinkle test.
- Add half a teaspoon of butter and stir into the jam to clear the froth.
- Pour the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl, pushing all the currant ‘flesh’ through and only leaving the seeds behind.
- Then pour into clean, sterilised jam jars and seal.
Oh how goooorgeous! I've never actually come across white currants, I've heard of them but never seen any on sale – and we're growing only red and black ones at the allotment. The colour of the finished jelly is so pretty!
Thanks Kavey. I don't think you will often see them on sale, but they seem to grow well in the garden.
I love that colour and I'm sure it tastes lovely too. I'm fast coming to the conclusion that white and redcurrants are seriously underrated. I wonder if I can find room in the garden for some…..
The only time I've ever seen white currants mentioned anywhere is in Nigella's Domestic Goddess book where I think she uses them for a gin and tonic jelly. I think they need to be more widely available as this looks so pretty.
I have an abundance of blackcurrants in my garden at the moment but my red currants are not doing so well. Think I need to get a white currant bush to make up the trilogy!
I've never tried white currants before…in fact I don't think I've ever even seen a white currant before! This sounds lovely though. I will have to hunt some down!
That colour is amazing, I would love to try white currants. I think I read somewhere that they are silvery in colour, is that right? Your jelly jam looks delicious.
Oh wow what a lovely colour. I have never heard of white currants before, but I like the sound of your jam-jelly! Thanks for sharing my grape jelly as well 🙂
Lovely jelly Janice, my mother used to have loads of currant bushes and grow loads of them and make so much jelly.
How gorgeous! Such a beautiful colour and great to use locally sourced fruit. Yum! Thank you for linking up with the #nowastefoodchallenge and the #shoplocalchallenge! 🙂
I found that recipe earlier today. Picked one cup of the berries, added one cup of sugar and 1.5 cups of water. It was way too thin. Never set up. I feel that the 1.5 cups of water was too much. Did you add this much to your jam-jelly. Mine is a beautiful color but the consistency of maple syrup.
Oh sorry to hear that, Ginger. Perhaps the problem is that you used a volume measure for the blackcurrants rather than weight? 450g of blackcurrants is about 4 cups, 550g sugar is 2 1/2 cups 450ml water is about 1.9 cups of water. I looked these conversions up online which is what I always do if I have a recipe that is in cups. Hope this helps.
Anyone know how to make black grape jelly please
I’m afraid I don’t have a recipe for black grape jelly. My friend at Fab Food 4 All has a recipe for Grape Jam which you might like to look at and ‘It’s Not Easy Being Greedy’ has a recipe for sour grape jelly. The technique will be the same.
Thank you very much for your answer. I did try your white currant jelly, black currant jelly and red currant too. Really delicious. Thank you again
You are welcome, Sally. Good to hear you enjoyed the jelly.
When sterilizing jam jars in oven I wouldn’t put the lids on a tray with them because the heat can damage the seal. Although you can’t see the seal it is there and not worth risking damage which could result in a poor seal when you screw the lids to the jar. You can put lids in boiling water for a few minutes then dry them thoroughly with kitchen paper and leave next to the hot jars when they are removed from oven. It’s always best to let jams and jars cool for 10 minutes before potting up so fruit doesn’t rise to top of jars and prevents bubbles forming.
Hi Ellie, thanks for that information. I’ll include it in my update. I’ve actually never had any problems with lids not sealing and I reuse lids from bought jam jars. But I can understand why that might be an issue. Thanks again for your comment. Janice
I sterilize jars in the dish washer i find it easier
Hi Linda, yes you can sterilise jars in the dishwasher. I actually find it easier to do mine in the oven, but everyone should do what works for them!
I tried making this today. I stuck religiously to the recipe, but there was way too much water.
It took a very long time to get a set, and the end product was ruby red, rather than pink. I may try it again next year, but with half the water.
The taste is good though
Sorry to hear that, Sally. I guess the currants do differ a bit. I hope it works better for you next time.
I have made this recipe a few times. Find it has too much water and takes much longer than 10 minutes to reach jelly state. Recommend reducing water especially if making a large batch. Otherwise a lovely product!
Thanks, Susan. I think a lot depends on the currants that you have. The recipe worked for me but I appreciate your notes and hope they will help others too.
Does this recipe work in a larger batch?
Hi Jack
I haven’t made it in a larger batch but there is no reason why it shouldn’t be okay to double the recipe. If you have more than double then I’d recommend cooking and straining the juice from the berries then making in more than one batch. You can also freeze the juice to make more later.
I did a white currant/gold raspberry combo, pressed through a sieve – very tasty! It’s so hard finding currant recipes in the US, so thanks for sharing yours. I have a scale that has gram measurements, so that helped.
I love the sound of white currant and raspberry! I very pleased that you found the recipe useful. Thank you for letting me know.
the proportions in this recipe are all wrong. you need equal parts fruit and sugar, and just over half the amount of water, not more. this will make cordial, not jam.
Thank you for your comment, Anna. I have made the jam using these proportions and it set perfectly.
Had to stop in and say thank you for the recipe! I commandeered a white current bush two or three years ago. This was the first year I had enough berries for jam.
I’ll be taking it to a work event tomorrow with some fresh sourdough. And I’m looking forward to the accolades!
As for the recipe I followed the instructions and it set up beautifully! I even doubled the recipe as I had that many berries! It set up so well I found it difficult to get into the jar without it looking ‘clumpy’ in the jar if that makes sense. I wonder if that’s because I doubled the batch? At any rate I’m keeping fingers crossed for a number crop next year now that I have the perfect recipe!
Thank you for your kind comments about the White currant jelly-jam recipe. If you think it is a bit to thick and set, then start testing for set a bit earlier. There is a bit of an art as well as a science to making jam, because sometimes the fruit contains more or less water depending on conditions. Enjoy your jam.