Damson Plum Jelly
Description
Homemade preserves keep for a long time. Cherry plum jelly is very easy to make. In the southern part of the country where my mother lives, these fruits grow in unlimited quantities right on the streets and are therefore not especially prized, but if they reach us in the capital, they seem like a real delicacy and an exotic fruit. In fact, cherry plum is a plum—only small and sour. The riper the fruit, though, the sweeter it is, so for making jelly it is best to use the juiciest, ripest, even slightly overripe fruit so you need less sugar. Wishing you successful cooking and
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare using the ripest and even slightly overripe cherry plums. First, wash the cherry plums thoroughly, remove the stems, and cut away any bruised spots.
- 2
Step 2
Put the plums in an enamel pot, add 1 cup of water, and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
- 3
Step 3
Then transfer the cherry plums to a colander in portions, mash the fruit with a fork, and remove the pits!
- 4
Step 4
Return the pulp to the pot or basin. It’s best to weigh how much cherry plum pulp you have, so you know how much sugar you’ll need. I ended up with 750 grams, so I use the same amount of sugar, pour it over the cherry plums, and mix gently.
- 5
Step 5
Then turn the heat to medium and cook the mixture until done, stirring constantly so the jelly doesn’t burn. The longer you cook the mixture, the richer its color and the thicker its consistency become. I recommend cooking for about 40 minutes, then turn off the heat but leave the jam on the stove. Transfer the finished jam into jars, cover with sterilized lids, seal, and leave upside down in a cool place.