There have been plenty of redcurrants sparkling like jewels in the hedges around here.
You only see them when they’re ripe, bright and shiny, like little rubies tucked in the bushes. They catch your eye all at once and are hard to miss.
I spotted them just as the sun was setting.
As the sunlight hits, they look beautiful and shimmering.
Gathering these beauties is fun, especially when you already have a recipe in mind and you're looking forward to that unique tart-sweet taste that only comes once a year.
They drop so beautifully when they’re ripe, soft to the touch, and they encourage you to be gentle. It reminds me not to rush, but to slow down and enjoy the moment. There’s something grounding about picking each one carefully, strand by strand.
When they catch the light, they turn a brilliant, see-through red, almost like glowing glass. They look like little gems. Really striking.
So I gathered a small basketful to work on.
Redcurrants are a vitamin C bomb, just a handful meets your daily needs, even more than oranges. They're also rich in antioxidants and have been traditionally used to ease fevers, fight infections, and stimulate appetite.
I gently removed the stems and cleared away any debris. I planned to bake a batch of redcurrant crumble. As redcurrants are nicely tart, I made the recipe with an extra crumble to balance.
🍒 Red Currant Crumble
Ingredients:
1½ cups rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
½ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup cold butter or coconut oil, cubed
1½ cups fresh red currants
¼ cup honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) and line an 8x8" pan with parchment.
Mix oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. (Make sure your hand is cold if you are using them to mix.)
Press 2/3 of the mix into the pan for the base.
In a bowl, toss red currants with honey, cornstarch, and vanilla.
Spread currants over the crust.
Add the remaining oat mixture on top.
Press if preferred; this results in a dense crumble.
Add some loose oat mixture on top,
Bake 35–40 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Cool completely before slicing.
Serve warm on top of the custard.
Add a bunch of fresh redcurrants on top and sprinkle some icing sugar.
Very pleased with the result.
This was very delicious, crunchy, buttery, crumbly, right amount of sweetness, and those berries burst in your mouth with tartness but balanced with the sweetness of honey. The extra crumbs made it so satisfying.
Have a lovely day,
Mariah 💗😊