How to make your own Ribena / blackcurrant syrup...

I know some people can drink water, just plain water, all day long, but I'm afraid I'm not one of them. Give me coffee anytime on the other hand! But water... and yes, I know we should, we probably even have to drink such and such amount of water everyday, but I simply can't... I almost have to force myself do drink a glass of water, unless I was running, training etc, but that rarely happens, that "training" part that is... ;)

To try and drink something besides coffee (of which I usually consume something in a region of 2 cups a day, trying to cut down, but somehow it's not working out ;) ) I'm trying to flavour my water. Just recently, I took an advantage of fresh strawberries and dropped 4 of them into my water bottle, great result. I really didn't think that it would make such a difference and that the strawberry flavour would be so prominent. 

You're probably all familiar with one of the most famous syrups - Ribena - which is simply a blackcurrant syrup. So, being an owner of two big blackcurrant bushes in my garden, which were heavy with fruit this year (and somehow no birds found them before me!) I decided to make my own Ribena. It's super easy and you have only two ingredients! 

How to make it...

Ingredients:
- 500 g blackcurrants
- 250 g caster sugar
- 1 cup of water

Method:

- Put the blackcurrants into a sink filled with water and skim off impurities, like leaves and floating twigs, then drain the water. 

- Transfer the blackcurrants into large cooking pot, preferably non stick, filling it about 3/4 of the way up. 

- Add the sugar, water and mix it all well together. 

- Set the heat on medium and cover. 

- Simmer for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 10-15 minutes, until all the fruit is really soft and "squishy".

- Remove from the heat and let cool long enough, so you can handle it comfortably. 

- Pass the mixture though a fine mesh sieve and into a large bowl (because of that sieve you don't really have to "top and tail" the blackcurrants etc.). 

- Pour into sterilized bottles, or freeze in plastic bags, ice cube trays for later use. 

- To serve, dilute the syrup in water. 

- Will keep in the fridge for 2–3 weeks. Use frozen syrup within 3 months, you can also easily freeze it in ice cube trays.

Smacznego!


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