How to freeze red currants: 6 best recipes for the winter, rules of procedure

The currant harvest period is short. In addition to making jam, they close it in a cold way, simply mixing it with sugar in equal proportions. But the disadvantage of this method is a large amount of the sweet component. It is much more useful to freeze red currants, since a minimum amount of sugar is required. If the berry is harvested whole, you can not use sugar. Such blanks are ideal for desserts, ice cream, smoothies, cereals, muesli.

Can currants be frozen for the winter?

Preparing berries in the freezer is the right way to preserve the maximum of vitamins and valuable elements.

The harvesting process involves pre-freezing. The fruits are laid out on a flat surface, frozen, then folded into a container for storage. If the currant is dry, fresh, with an intact skin, it can be immediately folded into a plastic bag or other container.

Important! You cannot freeze food a second time.

The blank must be made for one-time use. It is recommended to use small plastic bags, plastic containers. In addition, such portions go through the freezing process faster.

How to choose and prepare berries?

In addition to freezing red currants, you can prepare white, black and other berries. Get a delicious berry mix. It is important to observe the rules for preparing fruits and the freezing process itself.

Which berries are suitable:

• fully ripe;
• harvested or purchased crop must be sorted out, leaves, other debris, spoiled berries should be removed;
• collect and wash with twigs;
• wash under running water, placing them in a colander;
• then dry on a cotton cloth, then pluck, otherwise the loss of juice is inevitable.

Ways to freeze currants at home

Freezing recipes are varied: it is harvested whole, grated with sugar or in the form of juice. It is recommended to prepare not only one red, but to make a multi-component preparation: diversify with black, white currants, gooseberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries. Such a berry cocktail is used for cooking compotes, jelly, added to muesli.

With twigs

Sprigs with fruits keep well in the freezer. For harvesting you need:

1. Sort the fruits, wash, distribute the dry ones on the separation.
2. Put in plastic containers or bags. Place in freezer.

From such preparations in winter you can make smoothies, juice, cook compote, add to muesli and other cereals.

With sugar

This freezing involves two ways: whole berries or grinding with a blender, meat grinder. If the fruits are frozen whole, they must be put in a container or bag, sprinkle the layers with sugar.

Cooking scheme:

1. Chop washed fruits.
2. Add granulated sugar. The classic ratio of berries and the sweet component is 5 to 1. But each housewife changes the sugar rate depending on the taste preferences of family members.
3. Spread the berry mass into small containers and put in the freezer.

Pureed

If the fruits have lain in the refrigerator, squashed, and the process of separating the juice has already begun, it is recommended to freeze them in the form of mashed potatoes. Berry cubes are ideal for desserts, cereals, ice cream.

Scheme of action:

1. Fruits using a blender to bring to a puree state. If desired, the mass can be rubbed through a sieve, then the skins and seeds will separate, it will be homogeneous.
2. Pour in granulated sugar, the amount of which is used, taking into account the type, maturity of the berries and the taste preferences of family members.
3. Put the mass into an ice container, send to freeze.
4. Transfer the hardened cubes to a storage container, send to the freezer.

If desired, whole berries can be added to the puree. When defrosted on desserts, ice cream and muesli, they look beautiful and appetizing.

Blackcurrant milk smoothie

To make smoothies, you can freeze currant cubes in advance. Such preparations are mixed with milk, yogurt, and now a delicious, he althy drink is ready.

For making cubes:

1. Chop the fruits with a blender.
2. Spread the pureed mass into a container for ice.
3. When the berry cubes are firm, place in a bag or storage container.

Preparation for compotes, fruit drinks, jelly

For the preparation of compotes and jelly in winter, berry mixes are prepared, the composition of which is at the discretion of the hostess. For such purposes, crushed berries that have lain for some time are suitable. They must be packaged in plastic bags.

They should be sized for single use.

For fruit drinks, it is recommended to prepare the juice of berries, freeze in the form of cubes and use in the winter during the cooking process.

Currant juice

Juice can be added when preparing smoothies, jelly, jelly desserts. Freeze according to the scheme:

1. Pass the prepared fruits through the juicer.
2. Pour juice into plastic containers, put in the freezer.

Don't throw away the juice field cake. From it you can cook compote or berry mass, you can freeze it for making compotes, jelly.

Some housewives dry currant cake and brew it with tea.

Blackcurrant is very popular. It turns out a fortified, fragrant, he althy drink, since a large amount of vitamins and minerals are stored in the peel of berries.

How and how much can be stored?

Specialists in refrigeration equipment say: the temperature from 18 o to 23 o is recognized as optimal for storing berry preparations. Vegetables, fruits and berries are frozen faster, stored up to 12 months. If the temperature is 10 o and above, in such conditions the shelf life is up to four months.

How to defrost properly?

Berry blanks need gentle defrosting. To do this, transfer the container or bag from the freezer to the refrigerator, use after complete defrosting. When defrosting in a microwave oven, most of the vitamins are lost from temperature changes. Defrosting at room temperature is faster, but the berries lose their attractive appearance.

When preparing compotes, fruit drinks, jelly, blanks are immediately filled with water. When added to baking, cottage cheese casserole, you can immediately add frozen fruits during cooking.

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