Plum jam advice please

cat · Post: # 32749Post **cat** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 2:22 pm

I've just made 8 lbs of plum jam which turned out scrummy and neither to runny nor too solid. Maybe it was just luck!!
I put 2kgs plums
1kg sugar
juice of 1 lemon
I stoned the plums first.

Shirley · Post: # 32965Post **Shirley** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 7:53 pm

I found this today - has anyone tried making plum jam using this method?? It does sound interesting.

http://cook.dannemann.org.uk/cooking/sweets/plumjam/

the.fee.fairy · Sat Sep 09, 2006 4:33 pm

my recipe is:

? plums (whatever weight you want)
? sugar (must be equal to the plums)

Enough water to cover the plums when cooking.

Simmer the plums for about 1/2 hour or so until they're all soft and the skins are lifting.
Add the sugar and bring to the boil, picking out any stones that come up. Bring to a good rolling boil and leave boiling for 10 minutes.

Do the drop test

Boil again if necessary

Jar.

I'm going to try the plum vodka soon as well (dad bought a few punnets of them last time he saw some, so we've got vodka and pies coming up!!).

Millymollymandy · Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:27 am

My greengage jam is gorgeous but rather runny. I didn't add any lemon juice as I didn't come across any recipes that said to use lemon with plums.

I boiled it for about 20 mins but as usual never achieved setting point, either with the jam thermometer or the saucer-wrinkle-test.

Dunno why I never get to setting point!

Jo · Post: # 33260Post Jo » Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:56 am

MMM - Have you got a recipe for damson chutney or did you make one up? If you have one, please can you share it. I've got a bag of damsons I've been given and was thinking of chutney because I've already made damson jam.

Thank you!

Jo

cat · Post: # 33292Post **cat** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:44 pm

Millymollymandy wrote:
I boiled it for about 20 mins but as usual never achieved setting point, either with the jam thermometer or the saucer-wrinkle-test.

Dunno why I never get to setting point!

I had the same problem until someone suggested using lemon juice if I wasn't using preserving sugar, since then my jams have set ok but need a bit longer than the recipes with preserving sugar.

they don't taste of lemon either!

Millymollymandy · Tue Sep 12, 2006 1:19 pm

I've just been talking to my (English) neighbour who says that Delia says that if you don't get to setting point, take your jam off the heat, add the juice of a lemon, bring back to the boil for about 5 mins and that should do the trick!

I'll try that next time as I don't use preserving sugar either as it is so expensive.

Jo - I just followed a plum chutney recipe but I think it is going to be more like a cross between plum ketchup and chutney as it was still pretty runny even after 2 hours of cooking. Should be nice but it said to leave for 3 or 4 months before opening!

I'll type it up for you when I get a mo - not now as I am in the middle of making cucumber relish (it's all go!).

Millymollymandy · Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:08 pm

Are you still looking for a recipe Jo? I haven't had time to type it up - sorry. Have you tried Googling - there must be loads of recipes out there and I don't even know if the one I made is going to be any good yet!

Stonehead · Post: # 33581Post **Stonehead** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 9:29 pm

Our plum and apple jam (with a dash of ginger) has singularly failed to set today, so I'll be pouring it back into the pot tomorrow, adding a good dash of pectin and trying again.

It's always been a soft set jam, but this time it's very runny despite being the same recipe as before:

4lb plums, 1lb apples, 3lb 12oz sugar, 1 tsp ginger. Core and peel the apples, throw all the fruit in together and simmer for 45 minutes (scooping out seeds and any hard bits that refuse to squash), dump in the sugar and ginger, simmer for another 15 minutes and bottle.

(I always work in 5lb lots as that's the capacity of my pot - and I get seven jars from 5lb.)

Not sure what went wrong this time. Mutter, mutter.

Millymollymandy · Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:48 am

Oh good!! (sorry Stoney - but you always seem to be a cross between domestic god(dess

) and agricultural god so it's nice to know you have problems with your jam too!).

Stonehead · Post: # 33684Post **Stonehead** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:12 pm

Millymollymandy wrote:Oh good!! (sorry Stoney - but you always seem to be a cross between domestic god(dess ) and agricultural god so it's nice to know you have problems with your jam too!).

Oh, I get plenty of niggly "problems" too, but the truth is that I seldom notice them. I'm so used to just sorting things out as I go that I don't realise there was a difficulty or two along the way.

The OH just looked over my shoulder and muttered "too true". She also said I should point out that one my mottos is, "No matter how difficult or strenuous a job is, you should always make it look easy".