Damson Plum Cordial, Jam and Paste

11:30 am on 23 April 2012

damson plum jam RF

This recipe would work as well with black doris plums too. It makes a large quantity so easily halved.

Ingredients

  • 5kg of plums
  • sugar
  • citric acid

Base method

Wash plums.

Cover with water in a large preserving pan. Boil gently until soft and the pips start to break away from the plum.  Drain the plums and catch all the liquid to use for cordial.

Put the plums through a mouli or food mill to remove the stones or use a colander if you don’t have a mouli ( this purees the plums a bit too).

Then use for:

Damson Plum Cordial

To every cup of liquid add a cup of sugar.

To every cup of sugar add 1/2 tsp of citric acid.

(I had 4 cups of plum juice, 4 cups of sugar and 2tsp of citric acid)

Bring to the boil gently to dissolve the sugar and simmer for a five minutes .

Take of the heat then fill to the top in sterilised bottles. (use a funnel to fill as makes an easier job of it)

It should keep for a couple of months, preferably in the fridge once opened.

Serve diluted with soda water and fresh mint leaves.

Damson Plum Jam

Divide the plum pulp in half and measure out the amount.

Measure an equal quantity of sugar.  (I had 2kg of fruit and 2kg of sugar)

Put in your preserving pan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar.

Bring  the jam to a rapid boil. Stir often you don’t want it catching!

Boil for 15 minutes then test by putting  a teaspoon of jam on a saucer you have had in the fridge, push your finger through the jam and if it wrinkles its ready.  If not continue to boil and continue to test. Once ready put in sterilised jars.

Damson Plum Paste (to eat with cheese)

Check your remaining plums are well pureed first as you don’t want chunks.

Measure the remaining plums and add an equal amount of sugar.

Bring gently to the boil to dissolve the sugar.

Once boiling turn the heat down to a moderate temperature.

Stirring often, cook until the paste stays apart for a few seconds when you drag the wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan. This could take 30 to 40 minutes.

You can put it into wide mouth sterilised jars or spread it on a baking tray lined with baking paper. This can be cut into squares or triangles and wrapped in more baking paper and stored in the fridge in an air tight container.

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