Plum sauce is something I like to make every year and I get lots of good feedback from those I give it to. But I decided to risk trying a different plum sauce recipe this year as I had found one that had the Asian flavours of ginger and star anise in it. I used frozen plums (see freezing fruit). 2.5kg plums, stone removed 2 cups chopped onion 1/2 cup raisins 1.5 litres cider or white vinegar 1 kg brown sugar 1/2 cup soy sauce 6 tbsp freshly grated ginger 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 … [Read more...]
Orange Plum Jam Recipe
Whenever I have a bumper crop of plums, I freeze them for making jams and sauces later in the year. I decided to try some different recipes rather than just using my tried and tested ones. I know that citrus really brings out the flavour of berries so I thought "why not plums as well". 1 kg Plums, stones removed (I used frozen) Zest of 2 Oranges 1 kg Jam-setting Sugar 1 knob butter (10g) 50 ml Orange-flavoured liqueur (optional) Finely chop plums - use a food processor if you want. I … [Read more...]
Plum Brandy
What can you make when you've made Plum Jam, Spiced Plum Butter, Spicy Plum Sauce, Plum Crumble, Stewed Plums and you've still got plums (fresh or frozen) left? This year I made some Plum Brandy. It has a gorgeous rich fruity flavour and is very easy to make. The rich red colour makes it perfect for gift giving in decorative bottles. 1 kg dark red plums (I used frozen plums) 2 cups white sugar 500 ml (2 cups) vodka 125 ml (1/2 cup) brandy Halve and pit the plums and put in a large … [Read more...]
Stopping the Birds from eating all the Plums
I am very fortunate to have two fifty-year old plum trees in my backyard that are wonderful for screening out the neighbours and providing welcome shade for lounging under in the summer. They also produce a great crop of plums that I love to use in all sorts of different preserves (as well as eating them fresh of course). But my biggest problem is getting them before the birds do! I am happy to share some of my crop with the birds but birds don't share nicely: they insist on pecking every … [Read more...]
Spicy Plum Sauce
2.5 kg Plums (I used frozen) 1.5 litres Vinegar 1 kg Brown Sugar 2 tbsp Salt 2 cups Onion, finely chopped 3 cloves Garlic, crushed 1/2 cup Raisins 2 tbsp Soy Sauce 2 tsp Black Pepper 1 tsp each: Ground Cloves, Cinnamon, Ginger, Allspice, Cayenne Pepper Put frozen plums into a preserving pan and heat gently until plums thaw (remove stones if still in). If you want you can put plums, onion and garlic through a food processor to make a but I find that they soften … [Read more...]