Blackcurrants

[Droppey]

Hi All

Does anyone know of a lower fat/sugar version of homemade blackcurrant jam? Is just that I'm trying to lose weight and so therefore do not want to make something that is full of sugar

No worries if there is nothing available just thought it would be worth a shot.

[Two_Sheds]

just blackcurrants?
or, blackcurrant sauce?


450g/1lb blackcurrants
100ml/4fl oz water
sugar to taste


Put blackcurrants and water into a pan and cook until soft. Sieve to remove pips. Return to heat with enough sugar to taste, bubble for 3-5 minutes, until syrupy. Remove and cool.

[Droppey]

just blackcurrants?
or, blackcurrant sauce?


450g/1lb blackcurrants
100ml/4fl oz water
sugar to taste


Put blackcurrants and water into a pan and cook until soft. Sieve to remove pips. Return to heat with enough sugar to taste, bubble for 3-5 minutes, until syrupy. Remove and cool.

Oh that sounds good as well TwoSheds will try that as well

[Snadger]

Suppose you could use honey? Still sweet and fattening but just use less!

[LostGoddess]

I have often wondered if, with a high pectin fruit such as blackcurrants, you could use agave syrup to replace some if not all of the sugar. It is very sweet so you wouldn't need as much and it is at least low GI and recommended for diabetics. I use it alot but have never tried preserving with it. Just a thought.

[NOG]

The fruit is preserved by the sugar. If you do not put enough in the fruit will rot.

[BumbleB]

I think a standard recipe should work with less sugar if you add pectin sachet or Xanthum gum which is a binding agent available from the Free from range of MH foods

LIFE FREE FROM

[Hilary B]

If you follow a normal recipe but with less sugar, you will end up with a smaller amount of jam that has normal sugar content, but such intense flavour that you don't need as much per slice.
'Setting point' will not be achieved until you reach the 'right' sugar content.
The amount of sugar in a slice of bread-and-jam isn't going to make a big contribution to a weight problem. The butter is far worse!

[sarraceniac]

Replace some of the sugar with a small amount of arrowroot. You could use cornflour but that goes cloudy whereas arrowroot is clear. It doesn't taste quite as good but if anybody is worried about sugar content then it is quite nice.

[Droppey]

Thanks for all your replies will certainly look into them

[sarraceniac]

Two Sheds. Will that sauce freeze? It strikes me as being a brilliant sauce for gamey meats but most people want game in winter. So if it freezes.......mmmmmm.

[vicky]

You can successfully freeze blackcurrant syrup. With any of the low sugar receipes it's best to keep in the fridge (or freezer even) as they are more prone to spoil as they're not as well preserved

[NOG]

You could add canerell granules or just spread it thinner on the bread.

[Guzzik]

Make as usual BUT, cut down the sugar by a quarter then add some AGA-Agar as the binding/setting agent. My missus does this with all her reduced sugar jams and marmalades.

Powdered Agar is about table spoon per pound of fruit. The Long string stuff she uses (got from a Chinese Store at a much reduced price I may add!)is added at the same time as the suger and is about "half a handful" in amount.