Currants for Christmas cake

I can't help specifically, but would say that my local wholefood co-operative sells currants that are quite plump & nice (I see that they are from S. Africa). Having said that, I don't like too many currants in Christmas cake, and make mine with a mix of fruit, including cranberries & dried cherries. It's the only variation on the family recipe that also made my parents' wedding cake.

My mother in law used to buy vostizza currants for her Christmas cakes.
You can buy them here.
www.forestwholefoods.co.uk/product/organic-corinthian-currants/?srsltid=AfmBOopWWlxk5pyXUWOGqbAe4dmDL2ACsLLXnektjui41z8_eKw7UmLs
She used to buy then in a shop which sadly no longer exists.

I wasn’t aware that there were different sorts of currants - apart from those labelled ‘Smartprice’ (presumably a bit inferior) and the standard supermarket offerings. I bought some of the latter yesterday, for my apple chutney.

However I was interested to learn a few years ago, that the name originated from ‘Corinth’, where the very small grapes that end up as currants, first came from.

Until then I’d thought they were some species of dried currant!

In French, raisins( grapes) de Corinthe.

You could try using Corinth currants as a substitute. They’re similar to Zante currants and often available in larger supermarkets. Also, online shops like Amazon sometimes stock pinhead currants.

You might try using dried black currants as an alternative; they’re similar in size and texture. Some specialty stores or online retailers might also have pinhead currants in stock: allrezept.de/gnocchi-pfanne-rezept/.

You could leave them out and add extra raisins and sultanas.

I too would buy Vostizza Currants

Here's an article about them on an Eccles Cake site:

www.lancashireecclescakes.co.uk/vostizza-currants/#:~:text=Vostizza%20Currants%20are%20the%20finest,to%20Calamata%20in%20the%20south.

I ordered online and received today some Zante currants from SunMaid. I can make my Christmas pudding now!

NotSpaghetti

I too would buy Vostizza Currants

Here's an article about them on an Eccles Cake site:

www.lancashireecclescakes.co.uk/vostizza-currants/#:~:text=Vostizza%20Currants%20are%20the%20finest,to%20Calamata%20in%20the%20south.

I haven’t seen Eccles cakes for ages!
Could just fancy one now.