Blackcurrant Cordial with Vanilla

Blackcurrant Cordial is fruity, tart, sweet and laced with vanilla. A step up from regular squash that will please kids and adults alike. Top with water, soda or Sparkling wine to make a variety of blackcurrant drinks . Easy to make, freezable and a great way to use up surplus fruit.

This recipe was first published in July 2016 and updated in June 2020.

The recipe for this blackcurrant syrup with vanilla was inspired by numerous family holidays in France.

As a family we have a soft spot for the syrups that often appear on café menus in France. Technically, these syrups are not much different to our traditional cordials. I say technically because these French syrups just seem much more of a treat. They seem richer and fuller in flavour.

And, unlike the UK, these syrups come in a dazzling array of flavours. In fact, one of my favourite parts of holidaying in France is watching my girls, on their first café visit of the holiday, trying to decide between those flavours.

We get so much enjoyment out of this treat that I decided to make my own version of these fruit syrups. I plumped for a variation on our national hero, blackcurrant cordial, since blackcurrants are so quintessentially British.

My blackcurrant cordial is fruity, tart & sweet all in one go. And I’ve laced it with sweet, mellow vanilla to make the flavour a little more exciting. It is dark, punchy and vibrant – definitely a step up from regular blackcurrant squash.

What is Blackcurrant Cordial made from and How is it Used?

Blackcurrant cordial (aka blackcurrant squash) is a non-alcoholic fruit drink concentrate made from fruit, sugar and water.

Fruit cordials are intended to be diluted with water, soda water or other soft drinks before being consumed.

In the UK a cordial is also referred to as squash, but elsewhere in the world, especially France, syrup is a popular term for a cordial.

How to Make this Cordial

My Blackcurrant cordial is a great way to use up a surplus of fruit that would otherwise go to waste. It can even be made with blackcurrants that have previously been frozen or ones that are getting a little on the squishy side:

• Put the blackcurrants into a saucepan
• Split the vanilla pods, if using, and scrape the seeds into the pan then drop the pods in too
• Sprinkle the sugar over the fruit and pour in the water
• Allow the sugar to dissolve over a moderate heat, then bring the liquid to simmering point, squashing the fruit with the back of a wooden spoon as it heats
• Remove from the heat and cool for 20 minutes before straining through a sieve
• Optional: Strain the liquid through a muslin cloth to remove any small pieces of fruit that may have passed through the sieve
• Let cool completely

How long can it be stored for?

Once made, the cordial will keep, refrigerated, for around a month.

Can I freeze it?

Yes! This blackcurrant cordial can also be frozen and defrosted for later use. Try pouring into an ice cube tray then freezing, so you can pop out a single portion as required

How to Use Blackcurrant Cordial

This cordial can be used to create a multitude of different blackcurrant drinks:

• go traditional and serve it over ice topped up with water
• try adding sparkling water or cream soda for a change
• get swish – make ice cubes with edible flowers in them or drop a few fresh blackcurrants into the glass to bob around
• top with hot water for a comforting warm blackcurrant drink on a chilly day
• if you fancy a tipple, drop a little into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine (or champagne)

Just one more thing – did I mention that this Blackcurrant Cordial can also be used to make a particularly stylish Blackcurrant & Vanilla Mojito?

If you love blackcurrants, take a look at my other blackcurrant drinks:

• Refreshing Coconut Blackcurrant Smoothie
• Coffee with Blackcurrant & Almond
• Apple, Fig, Blackcurrant, Pear & Carrot Juice
• Blackcurrant smoothie with mango

Blackcurrant Cordial with Vanilla

Jane Saunders

Blackcurrant Cordial: fruity, tart, sweet and laced with vanilla. A step up from regular squash that will please kids and adults alike. Top with water, soda or Sparkling wine. Easy to make, freezable and a great way to use up surplus fruit. Makes approx 450ml

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Drink – non-alcoholic

Cuisine: British

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 18 servings

Calories: 46kcal

Ingredients

• 300 g/ 10 1/2 oz Blackcurrants (fresh or frozen)300 g/ 10 1/2 oz Blackcurrants (fresh or frozen)
• 160 g/ 5 1/2 oz Caster sugar160 g/ 5 1/2 oz Caster sugar
• 320 ml/ 1 1/3 cup Water320 ml/ 1 1/3 cup Water
• 2 Vanilla pods (optional)2 Vanilla pods (optional)

Instructions

• Put the blackcurrants into a saucepan
• If using – split the vanilla pods and scrap the seeds into the pan. Add the pods
• Sprinkle the sugar over the fruit
• Pour in the water
• Allow the sugar to dissolve over a moderate heat, then bring the liquid to simmering point, squashing the fruit with the back of a wooden spoon as it heats
• Remove from the heat and cool for 20 minutes before straining through a sieve
• Optional: Strain the liquid through a muslin cloth to remove any small pieces of fruit that may have passed through the sieve
• Let cool completely, the store in the fridge for up to 1 month or freeze in small batches

Notes

It is easy to scale this recipe up or down to suit your requirements. Just ensure the pan you cook the syrup in is of sufficient size.

And don’t forget that the syrup can be frozen – I like to pour portions into ice cube trays and freeze them, so I can bring out a serving at a time as and when required.

Nutrition Per Serving (Approximate)

Serving:25ml | Calories:46kcal | Carbohydrates:12g | Protein:1g | Fat:1g | Saturated Fat:1g | Sodium:1mg | Potassium:54mg | Sugar:9g | Vitamin A:38IU | Vitamin C:30mg | Calcium:9mg | Iron:1mg

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