Recipes with currants

A rich chocolate bread pudding made with pumpernickel, currants, and a custard of egg yolks, cream, and two kinds of chocolate. Baked in a water bath until silky and set.

Baked Brie with a homemade cranberry-pear compote, honey, currants, and pumpkin pie spice. A warm, bubbly holiday appetizer served with melba rounds or sliced fruit.

Sweet and spicy couscous salad tosses fluffy whole wheat couscous with crunchy steamed vegetables, fresh mint and almonds, all coated in a currant dressing brightened with orange, cinnamon and cayenne. Vegan and make-ahead.

Linda's fruitcake: brandy-soaked dates, citrus peel, raisins, almonds, and cherries folded into a spiced batter with a pineapple jam layer. Wrapped in brandy-soaked cheesecloth to age.

Sicilian-style jumbo shrimp baked in Marsala wine with plum tomatoes, pine nuts, currants, capers, and fennel, finished with grated pecorino. A rustic Italian seafood dish in 35 minutes.

Bread machine coffee bread with instant coffee, currants, toasted almonds, brown sugar, and applesauce. A lightly sweet loaf with warm coffee flavor and nutty, fruity bites throughout.

Irish tea cake with cream cheese and buttermilk batter studded with dried currants, finished with a bright lemon glaze. Tender crumb that keeps for days.

Easier to work with. The original recipe called for brandy or grape juice, but I found that if you substitute the orange juice concentrate, it has a nicer flavour.

Fruit bread made with Grape-Nuts cereal, raisins, and orange zest. The cereal softens in scalded milk to create a hearty, nutty-textured quick bread with a citrus lift.

Christopsomo: a traditional Greek Christmas bread with semolina, citrus zest from oranges and tangerines, currants, golden raisins, and a warming blend of cinnamon, anise, coriander, and cloves.

Old-fashioned boiled fruitcake with raisins and warm spices. Simple one-bowl method where you boil fruit first then fold into spiced flour for incredibly moist cake.

Traditional Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce recipe

Kutia, a traditional Polish Christmas pudding made with wheat berries, ground poppy seeds, honey, walnuts, almonds, figs, dates, and rum-soaked currants. A treasured holiday dessert.

Bring out the Scottish in you with these delicious snacks that are perfect to eat after having a hearty dinner.

Spiced vegetarian mince pie filling with grated apples, golden raisins, currants, candied orange peel, dark rum, and warming spices. No suet, no meat. Two lattice-topped pies of British holiday tradition.

Scandinavian cinnamon fruit soup with dried apricots, prunes, peaches, and pears thickened with tapioca. Served chilled as either a Nordic dessert or a sweet starter.