What can I do with 2lbs of plums?

beemuzed

Returned from holiday to discover our plum tree is covered with fruit - all of which have ripened at once! Don't eat much jam and still have jars of plum chutney from last year. Can only think of stewing the things and freezing. Any other suggestions or recipes?

abbecer

I too have loads of plums and will start of making plum crumble and custard tomorrow.

Rebecca x

kethry

i made plum crumble tonight and it was *gorgeous*.. just cut them in half, destoned, sprinkled some brown sugar and cinnamon on top, a bit of damson gin, then the crumble topping (made from 2oz butter, 2oz demerara sugar and 4 oz Self Raising Flour, a tablespoon or two of porridge oats, a tsp and a half of cinnamon ), then some extra demerara sugar (a tip given me by gran - extra crunch!). absolutely gorgeous.

Anyway, other ideas for the plums: plums bottled in alcohol, like brandy? would make very nice puddings, either for yourselves over the winter, occasionally, or for guests - that kind of thing is normally expensive to buy, or you can give as presents to people, in a nice jar, nicely wrapped kind of thing. you can also make something like plum brandy by steeping plums in brandy - i don't know exactly how its done but i'm sure the internet has ideas.

you can cook down a whole batch of plums with some apples (normal apple that is), pears and a lil bit of either cinnamon or mixed spice to make a sort of fruity stew, which you can then use as a topping on porridge or natural yoghurt, or even icecream (cold, i mean).

you could also make a sort of strained syrup - destone and boil the plums like you were going to make jam, but don't add anywhere near as much sugar - add bit at a time, tasting all the while, until you're happy with the sweetness levels, then strain through a sieve, then boil like you would a jam, but stop before you reach the setting point. once that point has been reached you can bottle it, as you would a jam, and it would make a lovely icecream topping syrup - and bottled properly, it would keep for the whole year.

hope all that helps - and let us know what you try!

keth
xx

p.s. once you're done with the recipes that you want to try, you could put the remaining fruit on freecycle?

beemuzed

Wow, loads of ideas - thanks Kethry! I'll certainly be having a go at some of these.Our church often has a stall for charity selling surplus anything, so I think some will end up there as well.

kethry

you're welcome! ohohoh - i thought of another one: plum cheese! i think its basically like jam but carried on further - you may have heard of quince cheese? - i couldn't find a recipe in the preserving book i have but according to a chart in the back of the book (where it lists the various methods of dealing with many different fruits/vegs/meats/fish - cos it also deals with pickling and preserving meat/fish) it is possible to make plum cheese.

the other thing suggested in the book is something called fruit leather - which is a sundried fruit pulp, often used to make baskets or horns or things like that for desserts.

then of course there's the obvious plum jelly, plum chutney, plum ketchup

if you're interested in getting the book from the library - that's where i got this one - its called "Preserving" by Oded Schwartz, published by Dorling Kindersley and the ISBN No is 0-7513-0345-3. its rather a good book, although someone else may be able to suggest something better

hope all that helps - and have fun!

keth
xx

Penelope_Penguin

Try this older thread - What can I do with 2lb of plums? Lots of suggestions in there.

HTH, Penny. x

odds-n-sods

fruit leather - half + half with apple. Cook into a compote, add a little sugar. Cook onlow heat until it is very thick, then puree smooth. Line a swiss roll/cookie sheet with cling film. Pour over the puree and make sure it is of an even thickness - about 5mm. Leave in a low oven overnight - can leave longer if its not dried enough. Cut into pieces and store layered with parchment paper and then clingfilmed.
Great way to store and keep fruit as it takes up practically no space - can use raapberries, strawberries, cherries etc - but it always has to have the apple in so that it will set + thicken from the pectin.

greentomato

heroicnich wrote: »

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (sp?) has a nice recipe on www.rivercottage.net called Plum Jampote (cross between jam & compote) - it's under "what's good now".

Just wanted to say I have made this a couple of times now and its really nice. thanks for the tip off! Good in porridge and on yoghurt and even on toast. I used less sugar than he recommended but my plums were sweet eaters not the sharp ones. yum yum!

Madmel

Hi all

Sorry not been on here for ages (hangs head in shame).

Our plum tree is literally bending over under the weight of all the fruit. DH thinks he has seen plum chutney on a website but I can't find a recipe. Can anyone help?

Alternatively, does anyone have any bright ideas for what to do with them? They are delicious, but we can't eat all of them now. I was thinking maybe jam and my father suggested bottling them in sugared water, but I'd welcome some advice.

Many thanks in advance
Melanie

littleredhen

i am sure you will get some replies but in the meantime if you google 'recipes for plums' you will get some suggestions on there