Plum Conserve Recipes

PLUM CONSERVE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine plums, cranberries, oranges, orange juice and 2-1/2 cups sugar. Mix remaining sugar with pectin; set aside. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened and plums soften, about 15 minutes. Stir in pectin mixture and walnuts; return to a full rolling boil. Boil and stir 1 minute., Remove from heat. Ladle hot mixture into 7 hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Place the plums and water into a large pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, and add butter to reduce foaming, if needed. Bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly, and then mix in the pectin quickly. Return the jam to a full boil, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim off and discard any foam.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the plum jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/8 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area. Refrigerate opened jars for up to 3 weeks.

CANNED PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Prepare jars as described in General Rules.
• Combine plums, sugar, lemonjuice, and salt in a stockpot overhigh heat. Bring to a boil,mashing with a potato masher.Skim scum off top.
• Boil, skimming and stirring frequently,until bubbles slow, youcan see chunks of fruit showingthrough top, and mixtureclings to a spoon, falling offin languid clumps, 10 to 12 minutes.Pick up and discard skinswith a fork, if desired.
• Lift jars out of hot water oneat a time, draining water. (See General Rules for how-to's.) Ladlehot jam into hot jars using awide-mouth funnel, leaving1/2-inch headspace. Slide a nonmetallicspatula or chopstickbetween jam and jar to releasetrapped air bubbles.
• Wipe rim and threads of jarwith a clean, damp cloth. Removelid from hot water. Placelid on jar. Screw band downevenly and firmly, just until resistanceis met. Place in cannerand lower into water.
• Put lid on canner. Bring waterto a boil. Start keeping time afterwater comes to a rolling boil.Process 1/2 pints 10 minutes at agentle but steady boil.
• Turn off heat and remove cannerlid. Let canner cool 5 minutes,then remove jars and set themupright on a dry towel or rack.Do not retighten bands. Let jarscool 12 to 24 hours.
• After jars have cooled, checklids for a good vacuum seal by pressing on center of each. If center is pulled down and does not flex, remove band and gently try to lift lid off with your fingertips. If lid does not flex and you cannot lift it off, seal is set. Wipe lid and jarsurface with a clean, damp clothto remove food particles andresidue. Label. Store jars in acool, dry, dark place.

PLUM PRESERVES

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot.
• Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Cook rapidly almost to gelling point.
• As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
• Ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
• Adjust two-piece lid caps.
• Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.

PLUM CONSERVE

Steps:

• Combine plums and sugar, let stand until juice forms-about 1 hour.
• Combine plum mixture, pineapple and lemon in a 6 quart or larger pot.
• Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until thick-around 40 minutes, or until the jell point.
• Remove from heat and stir in nuts.
• Quickly ladle into clean, hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head space.
• Process in a boiling water bath 15 minutes at altitudes up to 1000 feet.

BLUE PLUM CONSERVE

Steps:

• Grind the oranges and 1/2 lemon in a meat grinder, using the coarsest blade. Combine all the ingredients, except the nuts, in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until the conserve thickens. Remove from heat, stir in nuts and pour into hot, sterilized jelly glasses. Cover with a thin layer of melted paraffin. When hardened, cover glasses and store.

QUICK PLUM PRESERVES

Steps:

• Coarsely chop plums and stir together with sugar, water, and cinnamon stick in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally (more often toward end of cooking to prevent sticking), until thickened and reduced to about 2 1/2 cups, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Discard cinnamon stick and cool preserves. Transfer to an airtight container and chill, covered.

EASY PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Sterilise the jars and any other equipment before you start (see tip). Put a couple of saucers in the freezer, as you'll need these for testing whether the jam is ready later (or use a sugar thermometer). Put the plums in a preserving pan and add 200ml water. Bring to a simmer, and cook for about 10 mins until the plums are tender but not falling apart. Add the sugar, ground cinnamon and lemon juice, then let the sugar dissolve slowly, without boiling. This will take about 10 mins.
• Increase the heat and bring the jam to a full rolling boil. After about 5 mins, spoon a little jam onto a cold saucer. Wait a few seconds, then push the jam with your fingertip. If it wrinkles, the jam is ready. If not, cook for a few mins more and test again, with another cold saucer. If you have a sugar thermometer, it will read 105C when ready.
• Take the jam off the heat and add the cinnamon sticks (if using) and the knob of butter. The cinnamon will look pretty in the jars and the butter will disperse any scum. Let the jam cool for 15 mins, which will prevent the lumps of fruit sinking to the bottom of the jars. Ladle into hot jars, seal and leave to cool. Will keep for 1 year in a cool, dark place. Chill once opened.