Recipe Manuscript

Sušené Ribezle V Cukre

Name: Sušené Ribezle V Cukre
Prep time: PTPT25M
Cook time: PTPT5M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500 g large red currants (with stems, or use black or white currants, fresh, if red not available); 250 g granulated sugar; 100 ml water (for making syrup); 50 g powdered sugar (for dusting, or more as needed)

"Dried Currants In Sugar"

1870

From the treasured pages of Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1870

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Sušené Ribezle V Cukre

"Pekné velké ribezle i so stopkami dať do čistej nádoby, na funt ribeziel bere sa ½ ℵ. cukru. z toho srobený sirup horúci sa vyleje na ribezle, papierom zakryté nechajú sa stáť a pozorne sa vyberú na sito, aby stopky na nich ostaly, z nich stlčený saft uvarí sa na linkavo a nechá sa vystydnúť, doň sa ribezle omáčajú a kladú sa na papier, ktorý sa na lieske nachádza, nechajú sa na teple stáť, obschnuté obálajú sa do tlčeného cukru tak, aby celkom biele boly, a na site sa nechajú sušiť, kým nedostanú kôrôčku. Takéto sa odložia dávajú sa na konfekt."

English Translation

"Take nice large currants with the stems and put them into a clean container; for each pound of currants, use 1/2 liter of sugar. Make a syrup from this sugar and pour it hot over the currants. Cover with paper and let them stand. Carefully take them out onto a sieve, ensuring the stems remain attached. The juice pressed from them is boiled to a thick consistency and left to cool. Dip the currants into it and place them on paper laid out on a tray; let them stand in a warm place. Once they have dried a bit, roll them in powdered sugar so they are completely white, and leave them on a sieve to dry until they form a crust. These are then set aside and served as a confection."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a flowing, almost conversational style, typical of 19th-century Central European cookbooks. Quantities are referenced using period measures (such as 'funt' for pound and 'ℵ.' for a unit of sugar), requiring conversion to metric units for modern accuracy. Spelling and terminology reflect the Slovak of the period, with some archaisms or now-obsolete words. Instructions prioritize general order and caution but assume the cook's familiarity with basic techniques such as boiling syrup, draining fruit, and sugar-coating confections.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči (1870)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1870

Publisher

Unknown

Background

An enchanting culinary treasure from the 19th century, this Slovak cookery book serves up a delightful array of recipes (recepty) to tempt the palate and inspire home chefs. A flavorful journey through time, it captures traditional tastes and kitchen wisdom with old-world charm.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from an 1870 Slovak-language cookbook, offering a delightful glimpse into 19th-century Central European confectionery traditions. During this time, preserving fruit in sugar was both a practical necessity and a culinary indulgence—a way to savor seasonal flavors long after the harvest. Dried currants prepared in this manner were esteemed as a festive treat, presented at celebratory tables or enjoyed as a refined sweetmeat in wealthy households. The attention to detail, such as leaving the stems intact, points to an era when aesthetics and preservation were entwined. The recipe also hints at a time before industrial candy-making, when home cooks crafted delicacies by hand, transforming simple fruits and sugar into elegant, long-lasting confections.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The process traditionally involved basic but essential kitchen tools: a clean ceramic or glass bowl for soaking the currants, a large pot or saucepan for boiling sugar syrup, wooden spoons for stirring, a fine sieve or mesh tray for draining and drying, and parchment paper or linen to prevent sticking. Currants were often dried near a brick oven's residual heat, or on a wooden rack in a warm kitchen. Powdered sugar would be prepared by crushing sugar lumps with a pestle and mortar.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 lb large red currants (with stems, or use black or white currants, fresh, if red not available)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup water (for making syrup)
1/2 cup powdered sugar (for dusting, or more as needed)

Instructions

Select large, fresh red currants (ideally with stems attached) and place them gently in a clean glass or ceramic bowl.
For every 1 lb of currants, prepare a hot syrup from 1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar and just enough water to dissolve the sugar (about 1/3 cup).
Pour the hot syrup over the currants, cover the bowl with parchment paper, and let them infuse as they cool.
After standing, carefully transfer the currants onto a sieve, making sure the stems remain on the berries.
Collect the liquid that drains off and boil it down until it thickens slightly (reaching a syrupy consistency), then allow it to cool.
Dip the currants into the thickened syrup, then arrange them on a baking paper-lined tray.
Leave the currants to dry in a warm place.
Once partially dried, roll them in finely crushed or powdered sugar until the berries are completely white.
Return them to the sieve and let them air-dry until a sugary crust develops.
Store these candy-like currants in an airtight container until ready to serve as a sweet treat or decorative confection.

Estimated Calories

110 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the currants and syrup takes about 15 minutes. You spend another 10 minutes coating and arranging the berries. Cooking the syrup only takes about 5 minutes, but drying will take several hours. Each serving will provide a sweet, berry-flavored treat.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.