If you don’t know what crème de cassis is or you’ve never tasted it, don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with not knowing what crème de cassis or what it tastes like, you are seriously missing out.
This popular berry liqueur will blow you away and tickle your taste buds like no other beverage ever has. Berry liqueurs have received bad press in recent years, mostly because there are some terrible options on the market.
Overly sweet, cheap, and nasty, it is these liqueurs that have given the berry liqueur industry a bad name. Luckily for us though, we don’t have anything to worry about with crème de cassis.
Beautifully sweet and full of flavor, this is a drink you have to try. In today’s post, we’re going to tell you exactly what crème de cassis is and what it tastes like.
Let’s get started!
What Is Crème De Cassis?
Let’s start by telling those of you that don’t know what crème de cassis is, exactly what it is. Originally known by the name ratafia, crème de cassis is a hugely popular French beverage that was created in Burgundy in 1841.
Today, France still produces almost 16 million tonnes of the drink every year. A berry liqueur, crème de cassis, plays an important part in the culinary world.
Incredibly versatile, it can be used to make a wide range of cocktails and used in a variety of world-class dishes.
It is a dark and sweet liqueur made using fresh blackcurrants. One of the most popular uses for crème de cassis is in Kir. Thanks to its rich history, a lot of people like to use crème de cassis to produce classic beverages.
There are professional bartenders that have also used it to create new, modern cocktails. Crème de cassis usually has an ABV of 15%. It continues to grow in popularity around the world.
Where Else In The World Is Crème De Cassis Made?
It is worth mentioning that crème de cassis isn’t only made in France. Due to the liqueur’s rise in popularity, crème de cassis is also made in a number of locations around the world.
You’ll find distillers from Tasmania, Alberta, Quebec, and England making crème de cassis too.
Whilst this may be a good thing when it comes to making crème de cassis a more accessible liqueur, it also leads to some confusion.
This is because only the crème de cassis made in Burgundy, Dijon can be considered authentic.
How Can You Tell If Your Bottle Of Crème De Cassis Is Authentic?
If you’re keen to try an authentic bottle of crème de cassis, you need to do everything you can to make sure it comes from Burgundy, Dijon. Luckily, guaranteeing the bottle you pick up is authentic isn’t too difficult.
You can learn about the origins of your bottle of crème de cassis by reading the label on the bottle. If your bottle of crème de cassis is authentic, it will be marked with “Crème de Cassis de Dijon”.
This label guarantees the bottle’s authenticity, ensuring that it came from Dijon.
Does Crème De Cassis Taste Good?
As far as taste is concerned, crème de cassis tastes amazing. Made from macerated blackcurrants, the liqueur has a rich, dark-berry flavor that is well balanced by the tartness and tannins.
If you’re not too keen on sweet, rich drinks, it might not be for you, but if you love added sweetness, fruitiness, and richness, it’s ideal.
Despite tasting pretty great, you do have to be careful with the amount of crème de cassis you use. This liqueur is very sweet, so it isn’t hard to go overboard.
With that in mind, it’s always better to use it in small amounts so that you can find the perfect balance.
What Does Crème De Cassis Taste Like?
You probably already have a good idea as to how crème de cassis tastes based on what we’ve already told you in this post. If not, you can expect strong blackcurrant and alcoholic flavors.
However, that’s not all you can expect in terms of flavor when it comes to crème de cassis. Crème de cassis is a versatile liqueur that can taste differently depending on a number of factors.
On its own, crème de cassis has a sweet, earthy, fruity, tart, and aromatic flavor. However, it is typically mixed with other flavors and drinks to make cocktails.
This could enhance and change the flavor of your crème de cassis. Some of the most popular crème de cassis cocktails include el diablo, arnaud martini, and kir royale.
Depending on what you mix with the liqueur, it might finish with a more boozy, sweet flavor and a smoother texture.
Nutritional Facts
Crème de cassis isn’t that unhealthy. In fact, compared to other beverages, it is much healthier. It does contain some sugar and of course, it contains alcohol but apart from that, we don’t have anything to worry about.
One fluid ounce of crème de cassis only contains 78 calories and just 10 grams of carbohydrates. It also contains no fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, potassium, sodium, or dietary fiber.
You might also be pleased to hear that crème de cassis actually has some health benefits. Blackcurrants are loaded with antioxidants. This is where the health benefits come from.
When taken in moderation, blackcurrants are known to improve heart disease, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and eye health.
How Long Does Crème De Cassis Last?
One of the best things about crème de cassis is how long it lasts. If you keep your bottle of crème de cassis unopened, you can expect it to last many years. If you keep the bottle in a cool and dry place, it will last even longer.
Even after you’ve opened your bottle of crème de cassis, you can expect it to last for many months if you keep it closed and in a refrigerator.
How Should You Use Crème De Cassis?
If you really want to make the most of your bottle of crème de cassis, we highly recommend making a delicious cocktail. The best cocktails you can make using crème de cassis are kir royale, arnaud martini, and el diablo.
To help you make the best crème de cassis cocktails, we’ve listed these three below!
1. Kir Royale – To make a kir royale mix 1 ounce of crème de cassis with 4 ounces of Champagne. Garnish the cocktail with raspberries or blackcurrants.
2. Arnaud Martini – You can make an arnaud martini by mixing 1 ounce of crème de cassis with an ounce of vermouth and an ounce of dry gin. Stir the cocktail with ice for 20 seconds before serving.
3. El Diablo – To make an el diablo, mix 1 ounce of crème de cassis with 2 ounces of tequila, 3 ounces of ginger beer, and ¾ of lime juice.
Final Thoughts
Now you’ve made your way through this post, you should know exactly what crème de cassis is and what it tastes like.
Not only did we tell you that crème de cassis has a sweet berry flavor and an alcoholic punch, but we also told you how to use it. With the information we gave you, you can now
open your bottle of crème de cassis and make the most amazing cocktails.
What Is Crème De Cassis, And What Does It Taste Like?
Recipe by AubreyCourse: Taste Like
Servings
4
servings
Prep time
30
minutes
Cooking time
40
minutes
Calories
300
kcal
Have you heard of Crème de Cassis but you’ve never tried it? Want to know how it tastes? Take a look at this post where we tell you everything you need to know.
Ingredients
Crème De Cassis
Ingredients from your favorite recipes
Directions
If you really want to make the most of your bottle of crème de cassis, we highly recommend making a delicious cocktail. The best cocktails you can make using crème de cassis are kir royale, arnaud martini, and el diablo.
To make a kir royale mix 1 ounce of crème de cassis with 4 ounces of Champagne. Garnish the cocktail with raspberries or blackcurrants.
You can make an arnaud martini by mixing 1 ounce of crème de cassis with an ounce of vermouth and an ounce of dry gin. Stir the cocktail with ice for 20 seconds before serving.
To make an el diablo, mix 1 ounce of crème de cassis with 2 ounces of tequila, 3 ounces of ginger beer, and ¾ of lime juice.
Hi, I’m Aubrey, and I have been a chef for close to 8 years. Cooking has always been a passion of mine, as long as I can remember. I loved my play kitchen when I was a kid, and would offer my parents my own (albeit gross) cookie recipes to taste!
Here at ButterandSaltGatherings, I want to offer a wide range of ingredients, flavors, meals and recipes so that you can start living each day to the fullest, and enjoy only the best food.
