Instructions: In a large bowl combine the black currants and lemon juice. Crush the fruit with the back of a wooden spoon. Let the fruit stand, covered, overnight.

Tip the contents of the bowl into a preserving pan, bring to a boil over low heat, and simmer for 15 or 20 minutes, or until the fruit is softened completely.

Force the fruit through a fine sieve into a bowl. Measure the puree and for every 2 cups puree measure 1 cup of superfine sugar. Return the puree to the pan and stir in the sugar. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil it for about 30 minutes, or until it is very thick and easily comes away from the sides of the pan.

Rinse out a large rectangular baking pan, 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 1 inch, with cold water and shake it dry, leaving a few drops inside. Pour the fruit paste into the dish , smooth the surface, and let it stand, covered loosely with foil, overnight.

Turn the paste out onto a work surface sprinkled generously with granulated sugar. Cut the slab into approximately 1 1/2-inch squares and toss the squares in more granulated sugar to coat them completely. Set the squares on a wire rack to dry for a few days and then store in an airtight container, seperating the layers with wax paper.

NOTE: Fruit jellies or fruit pastes (from the French pates de fruits) are candies of concentrated flavor made from the pulp of a fruit possessing a fair amount of sugar. For variations based on this technique, substitute an equal quantity of red currants.

blackberries, or raspberries for the black currants. Other fruits well suited to this concentrated form are apricots, quinces, and plums.

Perfect Preserves

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