What to do with tiny plums

2childmum

I visited a friend this weekend and there were plum trees on her estate so I have come home with a huge bowl full - but they are tiny, not much bigger than cherries. I halved and stoned loads and they are freezing on 3 trays in the freezer, and I could probably do some more when they are ready, but I'm not sure what to do with the rest. They are so tiny the skin to flesh ratio is pretty high, so although I plan on a plum crumble this evening I think it will end up being all skin and no flesh by the time I've cooked them. Some of them are already beginning to be past their best, so I really need to do something with them before they go to waste. Any ideas?

sam.4000

They send like damsons to me. But I thought they did not ripen for another month. I would either stew the fruit and have it with yoghurt or as a crumble or even make jam if I had enough.

Chris25

they're probably mirabelles , or cherry plums (smaller than mirabelles, more like a cherry) - I think there's another sort of mini plum but I can't think what they're called. The hedgerows are full of them at the moment and I've been picking a few each morning.

Personally, although they have bags of juice, I don't think they have a huge amount of flavour, other than being sweet.

I put some cherrry plums in with an apple crumble I was making.

I've put mirabelles with plums into vinegar to make a plum vinegar. I may also add some with plums to make a microwave plum jam.

***I remember now, bullaces are another type, more like damsons, not sure when they're in season though***

moxter

Kerry, is that you? We've been together long enough that we can talk about this face to face...

Chris25

moxter wrote: »

Kerry, is that you? We've been together long enough that we can talk about this face to face...

????? there are some strange posts on the boards tonight.

ancientofdays

Plum jelly is lovely.

VfM4meplse

The stones represent the hassle factor; if they're no bigger than cherries they will be a PITA to remove. I'd be inclined to stew them down, skin and all and then filter the stones out.

The resulting stewed fruit can be pulped and either turned into jam, or used in fruit cakes.

2childmum

Thanks for your ideas. They are not too hard to pit, I've discovered - cut in half and twist then flip out the stone. They taste just like plums! As well as those I'm freezing I pitted and stewed some last night for a crumble and it was very nice - I thought the skins would spoil it but they stewed down well. I have about half a large mixing bowl left, but unfortunately some of them are already splitting and going a bit soggy. If I get a chance later today i think i will try and half and open freeze as many as possible.

LameWolf

They sound like the cherry plums I made delicious jam with a few days ago. Just use any standard plum jam recipe.