After our impressive currant harvest, we let the currants sit in plastic tubs in the fridge for as long as we could, daring them to rot. Then moments before it was too late, I embarked on a new project: jelly-making!
While we’ve made batches and batches of preserves, we’ve brandied and maraschino-ed cherries, made conserves and more, but we’ve never made jelly. There’s always a first. And there will be a second, third and more. I found it very easy.
First step, wash the fruit and let the leaves and sticky brush float to the top of the water, then pull out the currants by hand. Just leave the fruit on the stems. No big deal.
Put the currants in a big pot and bring them to a boil.
I divided the harvest into two posts to make the cooking faster. 
After they’ve boiled, use a potato masher to crush the fruit.
Then transfer the fruit to a jelly bag and let it drip for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
After you get the juice, measure it by volume. For each cup of juice, you need 1 1/4 cups of sugar. I ended up with 4 1/2 cups of juice, though, and used just 5 cups of sugar. I didn’t want to overdo the sweetness. I like a little tart in my currant jelly!
Before you start cooking the juice-sugar mixture, put several plates in the freezer so you can do the gel-set test.
It comes to a boil really quickly, and after 10 minutes, you can perform the gel-set test. Just place a spoonful of jelly on the plate and run your finger through it.
If it separates and doesn’t fill in the space where your finger just left a trail, you are all set. Literally.
Ladle the jelly into sterilized jars, then wipe the top of the jar clean. Place a lid on top and screw the band over it. 
Place the jars back in the boiling water and process for 5 minutes.
When you take them out, listen for the ping! ping! of the lids creating their vacuum seal. All done!
