Plum Chutney

This is for Victoria but it is worth sharing, so I am!

Ingredients (amounts look odd as they have been converted from metric.  In reality there's some leeway)
910g plums
225g apples (I used bramleys)
113g brown sugar
225g onions
225g sultanas (I used raisins, mixed fruit and cranberries because I had odds and ends in the cupbord).
425 mls vinegar
14g salt, half tsp each of allspice, cinnamon and ground ginger
Cayenne pepper to taste

Method
Stone and quarter or chop the plums, cutting off any bad bits, peel and chop the onions and apples.

Place the plums, apples and onions in the pan.  Add half the vinegar.  Bring to a boil and simmer gently until the fruit and veg is tender.

Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Simmer very gently until thickened (it takes quite a while and needs stirring now and again)

Tip into warmed and very clean jam jars and seal immediately.  Label when cold.

Leave for about six months until matured.  The longer you leave it, the better it gets.  It lasts for ages!

Taken from Let's Preserve It - and I shall do a review of the book because it is simply the best.

blackberry, apple and plum jelly

I was given some blackberries (thanks, K) and I had some apples that someone else had given me (eaters) and some purple plums that needed using up.

Not my photo and I know the plums are the wrong kind!

I chopped the fruit up a bit and simmered it all in some water until everything was soft and mushy.  Then I strained it through a seive and let it stand like that for a couple of hours.

I them measured the liquid and added jam sugar in the proportion pint/pound plus the juice of a small lemon.

There wasn't loads so I used Thermione to boil to setting point.  If there had been more, I'd have done it in the conventional way.  It did take quite a while.

I checked for set using the saucer method.

It tastes wonderful although hasn't made all that much.  That's jellies and jelly bag type methods for you.
I am a bit anti making clear jelly jams as I don't like the waste, but I then pushed the leftover fruit bits through my mouli and have a some unclear, thick 'sauce'.  I think I will add some spice and make some sort of sauce or spicy jam (almost the same thing really).  See separate entry . . .

Recipe: plum jam with star anise

Very delicious and definitely cheaper than chips when someone gives you the plums!!  The star anise gives it a delicious tang, nothing over the top, just a hint of the spicy stuff.  One of the easier jams to make.

Ingredients:
900g prepared plums (washed, cut in half, stone taken out)
900g (ish - I used a little less, in fact) sugar
150 ml water
1 or 2 star anise (I used two but they are quite old.  If it's a fresh packet, one would suffice)

Method.
Place the prepared plums, the star anise and the water in a preserving (or other large) pan, bring to a boil and simmer for ten minutes or so until the plums are soft.
Remove from the hob and when the simmering has stopped remove the star anise and add the sugar, stirring well.  Then just leave it to dissolve, which it will do without any need to stir.
While it's doing that, get your jam jars and sterilise them and put two saucers in the fridge for testing the setting point (if that's the way you test).
Just before you start boiling the jam, pop the sterilised jars into a warm oven (about 120C)
When the sugar has all dissolved and you're ready to start, bring it back to a good boil for about five minutes, then test for set.  If it isn't setting, boil again for five minutes.  Repeat until setting point is reached, scrape off any scum, then carefully ladle into the hot jars, seal and label.

Mine set the first time - must remember to take the second saucer out of the fridge!