The recipe says: don’t wash the blossoms. You want to keep the nectar.
That stops most people. We’ve been trained, by food safety culture, by supermarkets wrapping everything in plastic, by the assumption that the outside world is dirty, to wash anything before it goes in the pan.
But the nectar is the flavour. Washing it off to feel safe is the same as throwing away the thing you came for.
Flowering currant syrup made with washed flowers is just pink sugar water.
The instruction isn’t reckless. It’s precise. Shake out the insects. Leave everything else alone.
Knowing what to remove, and what to protect, is most of the skill.
Flowering Currant Blossom Syrup
Makes about 500ml
Pale pink and faintly resinous. Tastes of early spring before you can name what early spring tastes like.
- 4 large handfuls fresh flowering currant blossoms (about 100g)
- 500g unrefined caster sugar
- 500ml filtered water
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Tiny pinch of sea salt
Gently shake the blossoms to dislodge any insects. Don’t wash them.
Combine sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed pan. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Just as the syrup reaches a simmer, remove from the heat. Add the blossoms and stir to submerge. Cover and leave in a cool place for 24 hours.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with muslin, pressing gently on the spent flowers. Stir in the lemon juice and salt. Pour into sterilised bottles while still warm.
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 months. Use within a few days of opening.
Pick on a dry morning when the blossoms are most fragrant. Mix 1 part syrup to 4 parts sparkling water for a spring cordial. Good drizzled over fresh goat’s cheese or ricotta.