• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Forager | Chef
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Interviews
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Interviews
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Interviews
    • Partnerships
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Sweets

    Cassis: The Blackcurrant Liqueur

    Published: Oct 27, 2020 Modified: Dec 29, 2022 by Alan Bergo This post may contain affiliate links 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Creme de Cassis is a traditional French liqueur made with black currants. Some people will say it should only be made with black currants, but there's many fruit you can make it with if you don't like the astringency of the fruit. Besides currants, black raspberries make a wonderful homemade cassis.

    a glass of cassis next to a bowl of fruit
    Black cap raspberries make a fine cassis.

    If you don't grow black currant bushes, you can buy black currants from a farmers market. If they're out of season, its fine to use frozen black currants.

    currants for cassis
    A variety of currants. You can use any of them in this cassis recipe.

    How to make it

    Take your fruit fruit and put it in a jar with cane sugar and brandy. Some people use vodka but it isn't as good. Sticklers will say it should be about 15% alcohol by volume, but I'd encourage you to make it however strong you like.

    dried fruit leftover from soaking in alcohol
    Leftover fruit are dry and should be discarded.

    I never add spices like cinnamon which are too strong and can ruin the delicate flavor, although a vanilla pod can be nice. Sometimes I add a few leaves of Galium triflorum instead of vanilla.

    a bottle of liquor
    I prefer to make my cassis with black caps. I'd encourage you to experiment with your favorite fruit.

    How to use

    Black currant liqueur is the key ingredient in Kir Royale: a champagne cocktail made with cassis. Here's a few other ideas too.

    • Drizzled over vanilla ice cream.
    • As an appertif all by itself.
    • Used in baking, and sauces for duck and game.
    red champagne drink in a flute
    a bottle of liquor
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Black Cap Raspberry Cassis

    Homemade cassis flavored with black cap raspberries and a touch of maple syrup.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Maceration90 d
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: French
    Keyword: Black cap raspberry, Black Currants
    Servings: 20 Servings
    Calories: 200kcal
    Author: Alan Bergo
    Cost: 20

    Equipment

    • 1 two quart mason jar or similar
    • 1 Fine Strainer

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 lbs black currants or other fruit I like black cap raspberries
    • 750 ML bottle of brandy not too cheap, not too expensive*
    • ½ cup sugar or maple syrup or to taste

    Instructions

    • Pick the fruit or currants over for debris or any foreign particles.
    • Add the currants or other fruit to a glass container such as a mason jar and stir well. Store for at least 30 days and up to six months.
    • When you're pleased with the flavor, strain without pressing on the berries, then bottle the liquor. Discard the fruit.

    Notes

    How to Make Kir Royale

    Pour ½ oz - 1 oz  cassis into a champagne flute, then add 5 oz champagne or prosecco in, tilting the glass at a (roughly) 45 degree angle.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2oz | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 8g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 150mg | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 5mg
    Blackcap Raspberry Cassis Recipe
    « Highbush Cranberry Hot Sauce
    Dried Wild Mushroom Ragout »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jacqui

      October 31, 2020 at 4:17 pm

      Yes! Stuff steeped in alcohol!
      Can you find rosehips? Any kind really, but maybe not big fat Rosa rugosa you would make into jam, or hawthorn?
      Rosehip snaps and hawthorn snaps are best made with fruits that have had some serious frosts. That appears to be your reality ... Best made with a 35-40% neutral grain alcohol or vodka. If you make them now they should be ready for Christmas.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Chef Alan Bergo

    HI, I'm Alan: James Beard Award-winning Chef, Author, Show Host and Forager. I've been writing about cooking wild food here for over a decade. Let me show you why foraging is the most delicious thing you'll ever do.

    More about me →

    Get The Book

    the forager chef's book of flora
    The Forager Chefs Book of Flora

    As Seen On

    Footer

    BACK TO TOP

    Privacy

    Subscribe

    Be the first to hear what I'm doing

    Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Forager | Chef®