Homemade Red Currant Cordial is delicious, easy, and versatile. Mix it into cocktails and champagne, or simply enjoy it with sparkling water to make a refreshing aperitif.
Place the water and the red currants into a saucepan (do not worry about stems) and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute, and then mash the currants with a potato masher to make a slush.
Turn off the heat and add the orange zest and fresh ginger root. Cover the surface of the mixture with plastic wrap and let it steep for 2 hours.
Remove the plastic wrap and stir in the sugar.
Gently heat the mixture again to dissolve the sugar, but do not boil. Just heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Sieve the mixture into a jug or airtight container. Store in the fridge and use within 3-4 days, or freeze it for 2 months.
Notes
You can use any currants or a mixture of several varieties for this recipe. You can also use other fruits, but their natural sugar content will vary so you may need to adjust the quantity of added sugar. Currants are quite tart, so they need more sugar than other fruits. This recipe makes around 1 litre or 1 quart of red currant cordial.