Plum Jam

The steady rain we've had this summer over much of NSW has at least meant that everything is green and growing like crazy. My mum managed to pick these little plums before the birds got to them. They are so juicy that they are bursting at the seams. A little tart, however, they are perfect for making jam. They clung to their stones pretty tight but i got a reasonable amount of flesh, about 650g, from a kilo bag. It is important to reserve the stones, tie them up in a muslin bag and add them to the pot for pectin. The jam set perfectly, is sweet but retains a nice touch of tartness. It is also a beautiful colour. Be careful not to over boil. I noticed that the syrup went a slightly darker colour just as it reached boiling point. Keep a saucer in the freezer and every so often drip a teaspoon full of syrup onto it, allow it to cool and push it gently with the back of a spoon. At first it will run freely, but as it reaches setting point it will thicken up and offer a little resistance to the spoon. 

Ingredients:

650g plums, destoned (stones reserved and tied in a muslin bag)

300g water (around half the weight of the fruit)

400g raw sugar (more or less to taste)

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 50*C. Wash 3 or so jam jars, rinse with boiling water, place on a tea-towl lined tray and into the oven to dry. Place the sugar in a heat proof bowl and into the oven to warm up. Place the fruit, water and stones in a pot and simmer until the fruit and skins are soft. Remove from the heat. Stir in the sugar. Return to a high heat and boiling, testing every so often, until boiling point is reached. Remove from the heat, remove the bag of stones and ladle into jam jars.