Plum Jam

I made my second batch of jam-on-the-hob today. Last time was strawberries, this time plums. I can’t recommend it enough. Here’s three reasons:

• it’s super easy (three ingredients)
• it’s at least as cheap as buying jam from the store
• unless you’re buying Fraser Doherty’s SuperJam, your homemade jam will be ten times better than anything else.

Thanks to Phil’s dad for enlightening us!

Here’s the recipe I used for the plum jam (early taste tests suggest that it’s going to be even better than the strawberry).

Easy Plum Jam – makes 2.5 cups (or just over 1 pint).
(adapted from A Whisk and a Spoon)

Ingredients:

1 pound prepared fruit, about 3 cups
1 cup plus 2 T sugar for plum jam/1 ¼ cups sugar for nectarine jam
2 T juice from 1 lemon

Method:

• Prepare a jar, noting the expected quantity of jam above. To prepare the jar, place the glass and lid in a big pot of boiling water. Place the lid on the pot. This will sterilise the jar.

• While the jar is being sterilised, wash, halve and pit plums. Then slice them very thin. You want to wind up with 1 pound of fruit after prepping.

• Place a small bowl in the freezer. This will be used to test the jam later.

• In 10- or 12-inch skillet, bring the plums, sugar, and lemon juice to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly and skimming foam as necessary, until mixture begins to look syrupy and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

• Test the jam: spoon 1/2 teaspoon of jam into the bowl from the freezer. Allow to set for 30 seconds. Tip bowl 45 degrees to one side; the jam should be a soft gel that moves slightly. If mixture is liquid and runs to side of bowl, return the skillet to heat and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes longer; then repeat test.

• When your jam passes this test, it’s done. Transfer it to the jar, taking care not to touch the inside of the lid or the jar with your fingers (keep it sterile!). Screw the top on, then place the jar upside down. This will help seal it. The jam will now keep, covered and refrigerated, for at least two weeks.

Image credit: The Bitten Word