Currants

The currant is a dried, seedless grape. The colour of a currant ranges from brown to deep dark blue. The rule of thumb: the darker the colour, the sweeter the taste.

The fruit is dried in much the same way as the raisin. The bunches are dried in the sun on plastic sheeting. During this process the fruit loses moisture, which reduces its weight. The fruit also shrinks and takes on a dark colour. The aroma and flavour of the fruit change as well. In general this drying period lasts seven to fourteen days, depending on the weather.

The currant differs from the raisin; it comes from a different grape variety, which is why currants are generally smaller than raisins. Currants are also dried for longer.