As it looks like it is going to be a plum year
Have any of you good people got any Recipes for Plum Jam please 
Regards
Kevin
Plum Jam
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Equal measures of plum and sugar and "jam" as normal. You can either split the fruit and remove the stones beforehand or scoop them off with the scum as you get the boil rolling.
Its one of our favourites Kevin, but do also try plum chutney as that is very good too.
Its one of our favourites Kevin, but do also try plum chutney as that is very good too.
Gill, how do you make the tarts?
It sounds good.
It sounds good.
Hello Kevin
One of the problems with plums when you turn them into jam is that the skins don't break down very easily when you boil up the fruit. You can skim them off after you've made the jam, while it is cooling before potting up but its a bit of a tedious job and wastes jam. The best thing to do is to skin the plums before you start - just dunk them into near boiling water for about a minute, the skin will split and can be slipped off easily. At the same time you can get the stone out.
As others have said for the jam, its basically half fruit and half sugar by weight - boil up the fruit first, with the absolute minimum of water - 600ml per 3kg fruit, to break it down then add ordinary granulated sugar and boil hard until you reach the setting point, stirring continuously. Best to use a jam thermometer if you have one.
John
One of the problems with plums when you turn them into jam is that the skins don't break down very easily when you boil up the fruit. You can skim them off after you've made the jam, while it is cooling before potting up but its a bit of a tedious job and wastes jam. The best thing to do is to skin the plums before you start - just dunk them into near boiling water for about a minute, the skin will split and can be slipped off easily. At the same time you can get the stone out.
As others have said for the jam, its basically half fruit and half sugar by weight - boil up the fruit first, with the absolute minimum of water - 600ml per 3kg fruit, to break it down then add ordinary granulated sugar and boil hard until you reach the setting point, stirring continuously. Best to use a jam thermometer if you have one.
John
Hello Piglet - Plum and walnut jam tarts with a shortcrust pastry base.
John - To skin or not to skin - I don't bother to skin my plums!
If you add a few plum stone kernels it's supposed to improve the taste. I find that's very fiddly as the stones are slippery under the hammer.
John - To skin or not to skin - I don't bother to skin my plums!
If you add a few plum stone kernels it's supposed to improve the taste. I find that's very fiddly as the stones are slippery under the hammer.
To add more flavour to the jam, crack some of the plum stones and add the cernals to the jam. It will give an slightly almondy taste.
Beryl.
Beryl.
A pair of nut crackers is best.
Beryl.
Beryl.
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Primrose
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Jams & marmalades can be made easily in the microwave. A LARGE bowl or casserole two or three times as large as the volume of jam /marmalade should be used and small quantities made at a time. Remember that when you add the sugar to the boiled fruit, the bulk will double. Recipes made in the microwave require less attention than ordinary methods and will not burn the bottom of the container. NEVER USE A SUGAR THERMOTER IN THE MICROWAVE OVEN.
Sterilising Jars
Kilner jars are not necessary. Empty commercial jars of marmalade with screw-type lids are fine. Simply wash jar and lid in warm soapy water, rinse under warm tap, and put the jars (not lids) in warm oven for ten minutes to sterilise. Fill the jars whilst still warm, add lids lightly and screw down when product is cold.
PLUM JAM
2 lb of stoned plums
½ pint water
tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 lbs castor sugar
1.Place plums & water in large bowl. Cook on HIGH for 9 – 10 mins or until fruit is soft.
2.Add lemon juice & sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil and cook on HIGH until setting point is reached, 20 – 25 mins. Test on a cold plate kept in fridge. When a spoonful wrinkles, jam has reached setting point.
3. Allow to cool slightly before putting in clean warm jars
4.Makes approx 3 lb.
Sterilising Jars
Kilner jars are not necessary. Empty commercial jars of marmalade with screw-type lids are fine. Simply wash jar and lid in warm soapy water, rinse under warm tap, and put the jars (not lids) in warm oven for ten minutes to sterilise. Fill the jars whilst still warm, add lids lightly and screw down when product is cold.
PLUM JAM
2 lb of stoned plums
½ pint water
tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 lbs castor sugar
1.Place plums & water in large bowl. Cook on HIGH for 9 – 10 mins or until fruit is soft.
2.Add lemon juice & sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil and cook on HIGH until setting point is reached, 20 – 25 mins. Test on a cold plate kept in fridge. When a spoonful wrinkles, jam has reached setting point.
3. Allow to cool slightly before putting in clean warm jars
4.Makes approx 3 lb.
My Plum Jam didn't set unfortunately. Rude Words....
Shall I tip it back into the preserving pan and re-boil it?
I did read that adding a few stones helps the 'set', and of course I DIDN'T add a few. Shall I on the re-boil, or is that just a housewife's tale?
The plums were from my 'Elderly Next Door' who picked them straight off the tree, so not windfalls. Some were over-ripe and some under-ripe.
Shall I tip it back into the preserving pan and re-boil it?
I did read that adding a few stones helps the 'set', and of course I DIDN'T add a few. Shall I on the re-boil, or is that just a housewife's tale?
The plums were from my 'Elderly Next Door' who picked them straight off the tree, so not windfalls. Some were over-ripe and some under-ripe.
What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. The good they do is inconceivable....
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Primrose
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How disappointing for you!. In my early married life we once made 25 lbs of marmalade which didn't set so I tried every trick in the book to try rectify my mistake ! How long did you boil it for, and did you use the traditional method boiling on a hob or in a microwave? Do you have a microwave? If so, I suggest you take just one jar, put it in a high sided microwave-suitable bowl with a generous tablespoon of lemon juice. Bring to the boil again and cook for about 5 minutes max on full power. Then test with a small drop on a cold plate you've kept in the fridge. You might be lucky and find that the additional lemon juice will set it this time. And if it doesn't, you haven't gone through the whole performance with all your jam. Please come back and let us know how you get on.
Hello Wellie
It's a real **** when jam doesn't set after all your hard work isn't it.
You can put it all back into the pan and reboil it if you want to. How did you test for the setting point? Did you use the saucer method or a jam thermometer? If you're a serious jam maker I think a jam thermometer is a good buy as its a much more reliable way of judging the setting point.
When you reboil, boil everything hard and fast, stirring all the time. With all types of jam you need to keep the boiling time to a necessary minimum. Prolonged boiling will turn jam into an unattractive brownish colour as the sugar starts to caramalise.
As far as putting stones back goes, it is the kernels inside the stones that can be put into the jam to give it a distinctive flavour - they won't affect the setting process.
As Primrose says you could add some lemon juice but plum is usually a good setter.
John
It's a real **** when jam doesn't set after all your hard work isn't it.
You can put it all back into the pan and reboil it if you want to. How did you test for the setting point? Did you use the saucer method or a jam thermometer? If you're a serious jam maker I think a jam thermometer is a good buy as its a much more reliable way of judging the setting point.
When you reboil, boil everything hard and fast, stirring all the time. With all types of jam you need to keep the boiling time to a necessary minimum. Prolonged boiling will turn jam into an unattractive brownish colour as the sugar starts to caramalise.
As far as putting stones back goes, it is the kernels inside the stones that can be put into the jam to give it a distinctive flavour - they won't affect the setting process.
As Primrose says you could add some lemon juice but plum is usually a good setter.
John
Hi Primrose, thanks for your PM and
Hi John, me ol' Glos. mate...
I reckon I didn't boil it for long enough. The jam 'parted' on the cold plate, but didn't 'wrinkle'.
Tomorrow I shall address the situation with your comments and advice, and with any luck, be able to report back with success.
John, I DO have a 'Tala' cooking Thermometer, and I always forget that I've got it. Jam points to 220F, and I'll stick it into the preserving pan at the start , and let it heat up with the jam, and 'wrinkle' it properly this time....
Elderly-Next-Door's Daughter told him on the phone last night that of course it wouldn't set if I had no stones in there, so I'm real confused now...!
Thank you both
Hi John, me ol' Glos. mate...
I reckon I didn't boil it for long enough. The jam 'parted' on the cold plate, but didn't 'wrinkle'.
Tomorrow I shall address the situation with your comments and advice, and with any luck, be able to report back with success.
John, I DO have a 'Tala' cooking Thermometer, and I always forget that I've got it. Jam points to 220F, and I'll stick it into the preserving pan at the start , and let it heat up with the jam, and 'wrinkle' it properly this time....
Elderly-Next-Door's Daughter told him on the phone last night that of course it wouldn't set if I had no stones in there, so I'm real confused now...!
Thank you both
What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. The good they do is inconceivable....