Juicy and aromatic plums come in several dozen varieties: from sweet to tart, with smooth skin of various shades of purple, red, green or yellow and a large stone inside. All these fruits can be divided into two main types - dessert and sweet and sour. The former are ideal for jams, jellies, compotes and pies, the latter are good as a filling for meat and a base for sauces and chutneys.
Plum jam
Jams and preserves from plums are thick, beautifully saturated with light. They can be served not only with tea, but also with meat, like cranberry marmalade. For plum jelly you will need:
- 1 ½ kg of dessert plums;
- 350 grams of sour green apples;
- 2 oranges;
- 2 lemons;
- 800 grams of caster sugar
Wash the apples, peel and grate on a coarse grater, discarding the "box" with seeds. Place the pulp in a saucepan and pour in 500 ml of water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes. Wash the plum and cut it in half, remove the seeds. Add together with freshly squeezed orange juice to a saucepan with apple mass and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the plums are boiled, the skin softens and the liquid partially evaporates. Squeeze the lemon juice into the jam and add the sugar. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until a drop of jam congeals on a cold china saucer. Transfer the jam to sterilized jars, cool, and store in a cool, dark place.
You can prepare jam or compote from plums, after removing the skin from them. To do this, it is enough to dip them in boiling water for 15-20 seconds, and then immediately cool them under cold water. After that, the skin will easily separate from the fruit.
Plum garnish
For a spicy plum garnish you will need:
- 50 grams of butter;
- 500 grams of sweet and sour plums;
- 6 tablespoons of brown sugar;
- 125 ml of port wine;
- a pinch of grated nutmeg.
Melt the butter in a deep, wide skillet. Cut the plums in half, remove the pits and fry them, cutting them down for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Sprinkle with sugar and cook for another 4-5 minutes, until sugar begins to caramelize. Pour in the port and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Add nutmeg and remove from heat.
This sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Plum cake with almonds
The confectioners call the combination of plum and almond "a marriage made in heaven." To make a pie with these two ingredients, you will need:
- 400 grams of flour;
- 15 grams of sugar;
- 430 grams of unsalted butter;
- 3 chicken eggs;
- 4 tablespoons of ice water;
- 200 grams of powdered sugar;
- 6 ripe large ripe plums;
- 200 grams of ground almonds.
Sift 200 grams of flour and mix it with sugar. Cut 230 grams of butter into cubes and grind together with flour into crumbs with your fingers. Whisk 1 egg with ice water. Add to the butter and egg mixture and quickly replace the soft dough. Roll it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Whisk the remaining butter with the powdered sugar and add the remaining eggs one at a time while whisking. Add ground almonds. The resulting mixture is called frangipan. Cut the plums into eight pieces each. Preheat oven to 180C. Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the dough into a thin layer. Line them with a 25 centimeter diameter mold. Fill with frangipan and spread the plum on its leveled surface. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
