Red Lake Currant Bush/Le groseiller rouge Red Lake

This Red Lake currant bush grows in sandy soil with a southeast exposure in Lansing, New York on a hillside overlooking Cayuga Lake.

Red Currants are best known for making wonderful jellies.  The Red Lake currant is very productive and also one of the best tasting red currants.

Click on growing for a link to growing tips.

What can you use red currants for?  Click on jelly for a link to a jelly recipe.  Note that the amount of jelly prepared can be changed.

Pies

Raspberry and Red Currant Pie
from: The Canadian Treasury of Cooking and Gardening by Mary Alice Downie and Barbara Robertson. 1997. Key Porter Books, Toronto, Ontario.

2 cups Raspberries, firmly packed (don't squish)
1 cup Red Currants, stems removed
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
Pastry for 9-inch doubl-crust pie or lattice-top pie

Mix sugar and flour together thoroughly. In a bowl, gently toss the fruits together to combine, then add sugar-flour mixture and continue to toss gently with hands or a spatula until all through the fruits. Spread mixture evenly in the bottom pie crust, cover with top. If using a full top, cut steam vents. Brush top crust with milk and dust with sugar. Bake at 450F for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350F and bake another 30 minutes.

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Red Currant Pie
(makes a currant-custard pie topped with meringue)

1 + 1/3 cups Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 Eggs, Separated
2 tbsp. Water
1 cup Red Currants, washed and stemmed
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Mix together the flour and 1 cup of the sugar. Pour over currants and toss gently but thoroughly with hands or a rubber spatula to mix. Beat together the egg yolks and water and add fruit mixture, stirring to combine. Place mixture in pie shell and bake at 450F for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350F and continue to bake another 20 minutes, or until custard is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Make a meringue with the two egg whites and the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat egg whites until foamy, then start adding sugar, a tablespoonful at a time (sprinkle over the top) while beating. Continue to beat until stiff peak stage is reached. Spoon meringue over pie, taking care to seal it to the edges, and bake at 325F for 15 minutes.

1. Summer Pudding
   It's made with a variety of berries and bread or cake, and served with cream.
   
   
   Red Currant Sauce
   Just stew them with a bit of water and sugar.  They make a terrific sauce for rice pudding or ice cream.
   
   
   Salads
   Add to  a fruit salad or any salad remembering they are a tart berry so use accordingly.
   
   
   Fruit Tarts
   Use in fruit tarts alone or mixed with other fruits and topped with whipping cream.
   1.