Autumn is on it’s way…and that means preserving time again!
I have been busy away in my kitchen, working for 6 hours straight some days to preserve cheap fruit from the market.
So far we’ve got
Pasta Sauce
Plum and Apple Jam
Strawberry Jam
Black Doris Plum Jam
Savoury Peach Chutney
Bottled Peaches
Bottled Apricots
Lemonade
and we have big plans for more bottling, tomato sauce, pickles and blueberry mead!
In tune with the season, this posts recipe is for Black Doris Plum jam, the BD plums will be just finishing now so it’s the best time to get the last of the season.
2kg Black Doris Plums, halved and stoned
1 1/2 cups water
7 cups sugar
Put plums and water into a preserving pan. Boil until soft and pulpy. Add sugar and stir until disolved. Boil for at least 15 minutes but most likely more. Pour into sterilised jars.
To test if the jam will set:
Once the sugar has been added to the mix, place a saucer in the fridge, after 15-20min take the saucer out. Using a spoon dollop some mix onto the plate and leave near an open window to cool slightly, run your finger through the jam mix, when the mix parts cleanly and the surface wrinkles, the jam will set. If the jam doesn’t do this then rinse the plate and put back in the fridge to try again in 1o minutes.
To sterilise jars:
Rinse jars in hot soapy water, place in the oven at 120degree C for 20 minutes, leaving the door ajar to let them cool slightly (put hot hot jars in a cold metal sink will cause them to shatter). Boil the lids for 5 minutes to sterilise.
Makes 6-8 jam jars full.
* Basic recipe care of Edmonds Cook Book.
Nanatech 