Can You Substitute Raisins For Currants In A Recipe?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can you substitute raisins for currants in a recipe? The best substitutes for dried currants are dried plums, dried dates, raisins, cranberries, jujube, dried blueberries, dried apricots, and dried cherries . Really, any dried fruit or berry can work in a pinch, but the above are my personal favorites for handling almost any recipe that calls for currants.

Can you use raisins instead of currants in a recipe?

If you don’t have currants you can substitute equal amounts of: Use any other type of black or golden raisins . OR – Chopped soft prunes make a reasonable substitution. OR – Chopped black pitted dates which are flavorful and have lots of iron.

What’s a good substitute for currants?

Cranberries

Cranberries can be used in a recipe that calls for red currants because they look a lot like them. However, when used as a red currant substitute, cranberries will add a special taste and aroma to your dishes.

Can I use raisins instead of currants in a cake?

Are currants similar to raisins?

Currants are naturally dried like raisins , which gives them their dark color. In addition to being smaller than raisins, currants have a subtler and slightly more tart flavor. Currants are often used in freshly-baked scones, sprinkled over salads or stirred into a traditional hot cross bun recipe.

Can I use currants instead of raisins in cookies?

These Irresistible Oatmeal Currant Cookies are one of my absolute favorites! They’re nice and chewy and full of spice. In addition, they include healthier add-in’s, including rolled oats, wheat germ, whole wheat flour, and Zante currants in lieu of regular raisins .

What are currants called in America?

The grapes were originally cultivated in the south of Greece and more specifically, the island of Zante, hence the name Zante currant , used in the United States. The name currant comes from the ancient city of Corinth. Other names for currants are Zante currants, Corinth raisins, or Corinthian raisins.

What can I replace raisins with in a recipe?

Using Dried Fruit

Even then, you can substitute, but don’t expect the intended flavor of the original recipe. Other dried fruit such as pitted, chopped dates, prunes, or dried cranberries can be substituted measure-for-measure for raisins.

What does currants taste like?

What Does It Taste Like? Currants have a sweet and sour berry flavor . All varieties have a bright acid kick to balance out their sweetness, and a fair amount of tannins that can make your mouth pucker.

Are dried cranberries same as currants?

They are not as juicy as currants, but offer a similar taste. Dried Cranberries – Cranberries are a healthy substitute for dried currants , and are great to make some jelly with when you are short on currants. With some added sugar, the taste is very similar!

Can I use raisins instead of currants in Christmas cake?

If you don’t like currants then the easiest replacement is to use the same weight of raisins (150g/1 cup) .

What’s the difference between sultanas and raisins and currants?

Definition. Currants are dried, dark red, seedless grapes we often call Black Corinth grapes while sultanas are dried white grapes that are seedless, and raisins are dried grapes, specifically dried, white-fleshed grapes.

What is the difference between a sultana raisin and current?

A raisin is a dried white grape, predominantly of the Muscatel variety. A sultana is a small raisin, they are seedless and sweet, and come mainly from Turkey. A current is a dried red grape, originally from Greece.

Are seedless raisins currants?

What Are Currants? Currants can refer to very small dried, seedless grapes that are similar to raisins, or to berries . Producers make Zante currants by drying the small Black Corinth grape, which results in a mild, sweet flavor.

Which is healthier raisins or sultanas?

Raisins are made using green seedless grapes and they are mostly sundried without any additives and preservatives. This retains the concentration of nutrients and makes it a much healthier alternative to sultanas .

Are black currants just raisins?

Raisins (dried grapes) and Black Currants are entirely different fruits from very different botanical families . Grapes belong to the genus Vitus and Currants belong to the genus Ribes.

Why is it illegal to grow currants in the United States?

In 1911 it was made illegal to grow currants in the United States. They were banned by the US Department of Agriculture because they carried the white pine blister rust disease . This fungus threatened to wipe out the pines in the US, so all Ribes were banned to protect the logging industry at the time.

Why are currants illegal in the US?

The nutrient-rich berries were banned in 1911 because they were thought to produce a fungus that could damage pine trees . As new disease-resistant berries were produced and new ways to prevent the fungus from damaging timber were developed, some states started to lift the ban in 2003.

What are similar to raisins?

  • Sultanas. So, you know how raisins are dried purple grapes? ...
  • Currants. While raisins and sultanas are made from dried grapes, currants are berries. ...
  • Craisins. ...
  • Dried Cherries. ...
  • Goji Berries. ...
  • Mulberries. ...
  • Dry Blueberries. ...
  • Prunes.

What raisins are best for baking?

But, when it comes to cooking with raisins—as opposed to baking or snacking—there is no choice. No competition. You should only use golden raisins , as far as we’re concerned. (And, to really make sure they’re plump and flavorful, soak them in a nice vinegar before adding them to a recipe.)

Should raisins be soaked before baking?

Because they’re so dry, however, raisins tend to absorb the liquid from your baked goods, making the final dessert less moist. That’s almost never a good thing! The best bakers take a key extra step— soaking raisins before folding them into the batter .

Do currants taste like cranberries?

Red currants are bracingly tart and a bit sweet, like a sugar-kissed cranberry . They’re consumed in their cooked form more often than fresh. The sweeter black currants are made into liqueurs, cordials, candies, jams, jellies and syrups and are most popular.

Where can I find dried currants?

Currants are usually available in grocery stores on a seasonal basis. If it’s Currant Season, look in the produce aisle for fresh or dried currants in plastic clamshell containers. What is this? They may also be sold in the bulk area or the aisle with dried fruits and nuts.

Are currants and black currants the same?

They are called “currants”, but this is a misnomer as they are dried grapes ! Herein lies the problem between distinguishing REAL black currants and with what some companies are calling “black currants”, but are selling dried grapes. You may not think it’s a big deal, but it really is–it’s called false advertising.

What are dried currants called?

Dried currants, also called Zante currants , are tiny raisins made by drying a variety of seedless grape known as Black Corinth (often sold fresh as “Champagne grapes”). Dried currants are no relation to fresh currants, which are actually a type of berry.

Are golden raisins currants?

The difference is in their size and the types of grapes used. Currants are dried, seedless Zante grape. Currants got their name from its place of origin – Corinth, Greece. They can be used interchangeably with raisins in almost all recipes but unlike grapes, currants are mostly used in baked goods .

Are sultanas and raisins the same?

Sultanas are a type of raisin . You might hear them called “golden raisins.” Like most raisins in the United States, sultanas are made from Thompson Seedless grapes. They are medium-sized green grapes and are grown primarily in California.

Can I substitute sultanas for raisins in a Christmas cake?

Sultanas are always good to use in a fruit cake as they help give the cake an excellent rich flavor. Raisins – I use them sometimes, and they are similar to sultanas, except they are bigger and have a more intense flavor.

What fruit is similar to red currant?

Are currants the same as cranberries?

Summary. Currants are higher in protein, minerals, and vitamin C, while Cranberries are lower in net carbs and calories . Currants provide three times more vitamin C than Cranberries.

What is similar to black currant?

Thorny Imposter . Ribes divaricatum, also called straggly gooseberry, spreading gooseberry and coast black gooseberry , is a black gooseberry that has a papery tail similar to that found on black currants. The plant is spiny, though, and the flowers tend to droop when they bloom in March through May.

Are currants and golden raisins the same?

Sophia Kim
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Sophia Kim
Sophia Kim is a food writer with a passion for cooking and entertaining. She has worked in various restaurants and catering companies, and has written for several food publications. Sophia's expertise in cooking and entertaining will help you create memorable meals and events.