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Food

Currants for Christmas cake

(11 Posts)
Witzend Tue 17-Sept-24 19:25:50

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.

susytish Tue 17-Sept-24 19:12:13

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

NotSpaghetti Tue 17-Sept-24 10:36:10

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.

Ladyleftfieldlover Tue 17-Sept-24 07:23:06

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

yaver23 Tue 17-Sept-24 07:01:50

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/.

yaver23 Tue 17-Sept-24 07:01:19

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.

Cabbie21 Thu 12-Sept-24 12:07:10

In French, raisins( grapes) de Corinthe.

Witzend Thu 12-Sept-24 10:05:25

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!

MiniMoon Wed 11-Sept-24 22:40:50

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.

Nannarose Wed 11-Sept-24 21:43:52

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.

susytish Wed 11-Sept-24 21:26:27

I have used Zante currants for Christmas cake and Christmas pudding in the past. Difficult to find at present which is disappointing as they are pinhead and don’t contain so many stones and stalks.
Does anyone have alternative suggestions or knows somewhere that sells pinhead currants!.