I vote to change the spelling of July. Let’s spell it “Jewel-eye.”
“Jeweled” describes the color of the sky that was Saturday morning – deep, deep blue with tiny clouds that posed no threat to the early light. These kinds of days last just a few weeks in New England and I always walk around pinching myself a bit when I realize that, for once, the weather has been tamed into something lovely.
After a swim across Walden Pond that morning, I stopped by Allendale Farm searching for a breakfast scone. I feel incredibly fortunate to live in the heart of one of Boston’s neighborhoods and still have access to a farm stand just a few minutes from my house with its own locally grown produce.
That’s when these beauties caught my eye: pink and red currants.
The pinks glowed like pearls and the reds were so bright they looked dangerous. Most people know currants as tiny dried fruit that resemble raisins used in baked goods or salads. Tangy and tart, fresh currants are usually part of a garnish, topping a sorbet-filled melon, for instance, or in a sauce to complement a roasted meat. But I wanted my currants to star in the center ring.
Finding a recipe turned out to be a much more elusive task than I imagined. None of my cookbooks offered a currant-themed dessert. Even Deborah Madison in her cookbook “Seasonal Fruit Desserts” introduces them but offers no recipes.
“Currants glow as if lit from within and being so pretty, it’s not surprising that they end up garnishing other desserts, ” writes Madison. “They are still comparatively rare and expensive to use in summer puddings, but maybe someday we’ll have them in such quantities that we’ll actually start cooking with them.”
I honestly don’t remember what they cost. I just spirited them away to the checkout counter captivated by their glitter.
After poking around online to see how other people have used fresh currants I settled on making a currant pie. I had a barbeque in a few hours and thought this would be a perfect opportunity to “test” my recipe. I used a mixture of pink and red, just because they looked so pretty together, like an unstrung necklace.
It took much longer than I expected for my pie to settle in the oven and form an upper “crust.” Since all ovens are different, just pull the pie out when it starts to have a golden blush on top. I used a premade whole-wheat pie pastry I had in the freezer. This was a good choice. The currants, even when cooked with a good bit of sugar, are still quite pucker-inducing. The whole-wheat base muted their zing.
The backyard barbeque lasted until well after the stars lit the sky. A few feral Christmas lights twinkled on the highest branches of the tree above us. We stirred the embers of a campfire in an antique cast iron sink and sang out of tune as the host strummed his guitar. The neighbors shut their windows, but we didn’t care. It is summer and there are songs to sing. I served the pie under the moon’s dim light, which may have worked to my advantage. The overall consensus: delicious.
At least that’s what my friends said.
Jewels, all of them.
1 premade 9-inch pie shell
Step 1:
1 cup fresh currants
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
Step 2:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup currants
For Step 1:
In a small sauce pan, combine currants, sugar, and water. Heat over low heat, stirring often, for about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare premade pie shell, according to directions.
For Step 2:
Whisk together eggs, cornstarch, and sugar. Slowly added the heated mixture, stir until combined. Stir in remaining currants.
Pour into a pie shell and bake for about 20 minutes or until a crust forms and turns golden.
Remove from oven and let cool completely, until the pie sets.
Serve.
Related post: Cookbook review: “Seasonal Fruit Desserts” by Deborah Madison
Why am I experiencing a Pavlovian reaction after reading this?
-wipes corner of mouth-
Cheers to stunning Summer days and nights.
That pie almost looks fake! You did a great job!
I just saw fresh currants at the grocery store for the first time last week. I was completely entranced by how beautiful they were and wanted to buy a bunch–but what to make except currant jelly? Now I know!
I’ve never even heard of currants before. The light pink ones do look like pearls! Thank you for sharing.
i’ve never seen currants in real life before. it seems a shame to use a pre-made pie crust with such a luxurious fruit filling, though i have to admit, both the photos of the currants and the final pie both look outstanding!
Wow. Looks absolutely spectacular! I haven’t seen currants at my local haunts this year — not even the Farmer’s Markets. 😦
I’ve never even seen a picture of fresh currants! When I first looked at the blog, I thought they were grapes or cherry tomatoes. Ug. I should work on a farm.
Those are the most amazingly beautiful fruit I have seen! Great photo 🙂
Beautiful! That’s something I don’t see down here in Arkansas. I’ll just have to live vicariously through your great post. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed.
this looks delicious. homemade food is always better especially desserts!
This looks delicious. Thank you.
the pie looks delicious! i’d sure like one with my coffee right now!
Kendra, those baskets of currants do look like jewels, gorgeous. Your finished pie could also have had a jewel-like top. Why did you think you needed that egg mixture? Just sugar and a thickener would have made a great pie. I’m sure your pie was delicious but I do have to say that those scintillating currants deserved a homemade crust.
Oh you are definitely right about the homemade crust — but I was just going with what I had on hand and not much time!
they’re so pretty! like little glass beads or something. and the pie looks tasty. I’ll need my mom to bake it for me…i’m a mess in the kitchen so i depend on others to test out recipes 🙂
http://www.icouldntmakethisshitup.wordpress.com
I haven’t tried currants before, but they look lovely. Thanks for sharing.
Johannisbeerkuchen, hmmmh – sehr lecker. Bei uns gibt es diese Woche auch welchen, ernte bereits die 3. Sorte (späte).
Traudel
I had my friend who speaks German translate for me! “Red currant cake, yumm delicious. There are 3 different kinds where I live at the moment.”
I’ll have to look for a red currant cake recipe next.
YUM! I am also a currant newbie, but I will have to give this a shot because it just looks too delish. Thanks for sharing!
Never saw pink currants…here in Europe you’d find black and red. I definitely will try and hunt those pink ones down…looks delicious!
Blackcurrants are different – the skin is thicker and not translucent. You can definitely find red and pink/yellow ones in Ukraine.
Beautiful! Thank you for the post! I want to make one…. but… I vowed to not bake untill Winter… *sigh*
Barbara
Food as art!
Oh my gosh, look at those pink currants! These pictures are just gorgeous, and the pie looks delicious!!
The currants look absolutely gorgeous, especially the pink ones. The pink ones just look like translucent little pearls. I can’t cook/bake but I’ll live through you doing it and it looks delish with the finished product!
Wow! Looks delicious 🙂 I’ve never seen currants before but they are beautiful. The pie looks yummy!
The currants really look great, but have you tried my favourite = BLACKcurrants? For flavour I find them unbeatable. And I think I still have some in my freezer. Wait a second while I go and check…..Sorry, no time ti write more. I must get baking……
Wow! I’ve never seen fresh currents in my life and I go to the farmers’ market all the time. They are gorgeous!
oh yum ~ this looks absolutely delicious!! i also love those teal paper cartons.
xo ~ kristina
What a beautiful pie! I never even knew that pink currants existed until now!
What a beautiful looking dessert! And I’m sure it tastes as good as it looks!
My mom and I just picked the one’s she grew this summer and made currant jelly. This looks like next summer’s currant recipe.
I live in Scotland and berries are a main summer crop. Like Betty, I think blackcurrants are fantastic. I like them with raspberries for jam-making. But for sheer beauty the pearlescent pink ones in your photos and recipe are show-stoppers. I might make a vanilla bean crust to cosset these lovelies. Thanks so much for sharing. Beautiful!
very cool! i can never find those currants!!!
I’ve never seen fresh currants before, let alone pink ones! They look magical! 🙂
WOW!!! i’ve never cooked or heard of currants. looks like i’ll be trying it out this recipe 🙂 beautiful shots!!!
What does a currant taste like? I’ve never seen or heard of them before reading your post. They look like grapes! And the pie looks real yummy, too!
Looking amazing and it must taste awesome too… Making me hungry for cake! 🙂
Truly beauty! You’re indeed lucky to have the access of getting currants in neighborinig farm!
My grandma used to make red currant pie every summer. My favourite pie, no contest. Have you ever tried black currant pie? Yummers.
nice
I have never ever seen nor heard of pink currants. I think they must be the most beautiful thing ever.
edible pearl like currants….delightful!
The pie looks delicious,and the pink currants look like pearl,do not like fruits,the red ones look like little tomatoes. I have never seen these colors currants.
NIce post. The pies look great but I know that if I got hold of some good currants they would never last long enough to make it into a pie or any kind of dessert.
I’ve never seen redcurrents before. I always though currents were grapes! LOL
Grapes are much larger than currants.
Yummy!
Yes, those really looked like red jewels 🙂
Delicious red jewels that is.
O WOW this looks sooo good (:
The whiter berries are gooseberries and not currants. The red are currants.
Actually Betty, they are pink currants. Gooseberries are a related berry but they are bigger than currants.
The glittering currants look like a crystals,the currant pie looks delicious too!
Beautiful. I grow red currants but I’ve never seen pink ones before. I think they might have the added benefit that the birds wouldn’t get them, cos they love red currants. I wonder where you can get the plants?
OMG!! that is what i want to say. they look as crystals. haha…
Oh yum! I’ve never had currents before but after looking at your pics they remind me of grapes Pie looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing your recipe. I’m new to blogging and love that there is a foodie community! If you have time, please check out my blog: http://shecooksandheeats.wordpress.com/. And of course! Any advice would be great 🙂
WOW – I have NEVER seen the pale currants where I live…They look like the beginning of life inside
This looks amazing! If only I had an oven..
I’m from England but I live in the US. I had no idea you could get these over here. We use them a lot at home in summer desserts. Thanks for sharing. Loved your post!
Looks and sounds delicious, and those pink currants are too beautiful! I don’t think I’ve ever seen them before… not sure where I’ve been.
I don’t think I’ve ever had currants before – that was a beautiful pie! Congrats on being Freshly Pressed 🙂
So lovely, I’m drooling! Great shots – thank you for sharing!
On the farm north of Edmonton AB we had currant bushes, red and black ones. I wish mom had this recipe back then, they would have made a delicious pie!
awesome colours, yummy pie! =)
These berries look similar to the ones I recently saw on a backpacking trip. I’m not sure I would risk eating them based on a photo, but it makes me wonder…
That looks amazing. The Aussies are big on black currant juice, which took some getting used to when I lived Downunder. Feral Christmas lights, eh?
Will cherries work? plenty of cherries from neighboring countries to Kuwait, I have not seen too many currents. It sounds amazing, thank you.
Looks delicious the pink currants are the most intriguing, wonder how the red would taste in a martini? just wondering…lol Thanks for the recipe & fun summer’s night
I love the colours the fruit give out, very fresh and summery…would go well with a nice glass of wine!
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Wow I’ve never seen currants like that!
[…] another swim across Walden Pond a couple of weekends ago followed by plates of breakfast burritos at a local diner, my friend […]
Beautiful! I love the idea of currant pie. Seems very classic and old-fashioned.
I grow my own pink currants, and am getting ready to make currant jelly today. Was just looking on line for something else to do with them and am going to try this pie tonight!
Great, Lois! I hope it turns out well.