A few weeks ago, I picked up the cutest little sundae cups. We are a summer ice cream family. I think we eat it 7 nights a week. So, I knew these sundae cups were going to be a hit, but what summer dessert could I make use of them for? I found red currants at the farmers' market and decided to make homemade red currant sauce on vanilla ice cream. The perfect summer dessert.

Easy Red Currant Sauce for ice cream recipe

Like most berries in Ontario, they are at their absolute peek for only a few weeks in the summer. Yes, we can probably get our hands on red currants at any time of the year, but there is nothing quite as amazing as freshly picked red currants. Which is what we found at the farmers' market this weekend.

These precious little jewels have a tart, sweet and sour flavour. We wanted to find the best way to use these little gems. We decided to make a simple sauce. The method for making this sauce works for most summer berries. The best part is my 9-year-old daughter is the one who came up with the recipe.

Red Currant Sauce Recipe

ingredients

½ pint red currants (remove stems and stalks)
3 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon water
juice of half a lemon

How to make red currant sauce

Wash the red currants and remove them from the vine they grow on.

Place clean red currants, sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the ingredients to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium-low.

Simmer the currants until the sauce reduces and thickens to a consistency you like.

At this point, there are two choices. First, you can leave the seeds and skin in the sauce and use the sauce as is. Or, you can remove the seeds and skins.

mason jar of homemade red currant sauce and spoon filled with sauce

If you would like to remove the currant seeds and skins, place a fine sieve over a small bowl and pour the sauce into the sieve. Use a spatula or the back of a wooden spoon to press the sauce through the sieve. Be sure to press all the sauce through...it is like liquid gold and you will want every last drop.

For our sauce, we pressed out the seeds and skins and then added about half of the seeds and skins back into the sauce. My daughter's decision - she liked the thickness of the sauce with a little bit of the seeds and skins.

2 ice cream sundaes with red current sauce from above

Let the sauce cool, and then it is time to use your red currant sauce. We made our red currant sauce for ice cream sundaes! The red currant sauce is delicious served with vanilla ice cream and a little bit of chocolate sauce (for good measure). This sundae is the perfect way to end a summer meal.

Ways to Use Red Currant Sauce

Homemade red currant sauce is a real treat. It is tart and sweet and is a lovely summer condiment. You could spread it on a burger bun or add it to your BBQ steak dinner. A dollop would be lovely with grilled chicken. Of course, we liked using it for dessert. You could add it to any summer cake, as the perfect filling.

What is your favourite summer berry? How will you use your red currant sauce?

FYI red currant sauce can stain clothing, so when my daughter dripped some sauce on her new t-shirt, panic set in. No worries, I moved quickly and used a dab of liquid dish soap to remove the sauce, and all was right with the world again. Phew...summer emergency solved.

_close up of homemade red currant sauce recipe for ice cream sundaes

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Red Currant Sauce Recipe

Make a delicious summer red currant sauce for ice cream, and more

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Appetizer, condiment, Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, canadian

Keyword: sauce, summer recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 53kcal

Author: Jen

Ingredients

½ pint red currants remove stems and stalks
3 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon water
juice of half a lemon

Instructions

Wash the red currants and remove them from the vine they grow on.
Place clean red currants, sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the ingredients to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium-low.
Simmer the currants until the sauce reduces and thickens to a consistency you like.
At this point, there are two choices. First, you can leave the seeds and skin in the sauce and use the sauce as is. Or, you can remove the seeds and skins.
If you would like to remove the currant seeds and skins, place a fine sieve over a small bowl and pour the sauce into the sieve. Use a spatula or the back of a wooden spoon to press the sauce through the sieve. Be sure to press all the sauce through...it is like liquid gold and you will want every last drop.
For our sauce, we pressed out the seeds and skins and then added about half of the seeds and skins back into the sauce. My daughter's decision - she liked the thickness of the sauce with a little bit of the seeds and skins.
Let the sauce cool, and then it is time to use your red currant sauce.

Notes

Nutrition Info is to be used as a rough guide. Nutrition Info is based on the products I am using and you may not be using the same products/brands. Thus, the Nutrition Info may vary.