To make Marmalade of Cherries with Currans is a traditional Stuart recipe for a classic dark preserve of cherries cooked with currant juice and sugar until they reach the setting point and which are then potted to store. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Stuart version of: To make Marmalade of Cherries with Currans.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
Original Recipe
To make Marmalade of Cherries with Currans (from Hannah Woolley's Queen-like Closet 1670)
51. To make Marmalade of Cherries with Currans.
Take four pounds of Cherries when they are ſtoned, and boil them alone in their Liquor for half an hour very faſt, then pour away the Liquor from them, and put to them half a Pint and little more of the juice of Currans, then boil a pound of double refin'd Sugar to a Candy height, and put your Cherries and Juice of Currans in that, and boil them again very faſt till you find it to jelly very well.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1kg cherries (weighed after pitting)
275ml blackcurrant or redcurrant juice
225g sugar
Method:
Place the cherries in a pan, cover with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for 30 minutes then take off the heat and turn into a fine-meshed sieve. Allow the liquid to drain away naturally (do not press down on the cherries) then turn the cherry flesh into a bowl and add the currant juice.
Place the sugar in a pan and heat gently until it has melted. Increase the heat and cook the sugar until it caramelizes then carefully stir in the cherry flesh and currant juice mix. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue boiling for 10 minutes.
At this point, test for setting. Take a saucer that has been chilled in the refrigerator and add a teaspoonful of the marmalade mixture. Leave for three minutes then gently touch the surface of the marmalade. If the surface wrinkles then the marmalade is ready. If not, continue cooking for 15 minutes more then test again.
When the marmalade is ready, ladle or spoon into newly-sterilized jars that have been warmed in the oven and secure the lids on top. Set aside to cool before labelling and storing. It is best to store for at least 2 weeks before opening to allow the marmalade mixture to mature.
