Peach Plum Summer Jam Food

PEACH-AND-PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Pit peaches and plums and coarsely chop into pieces slightly smaller than 1/2 inch. Combine fruit, sugar, water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt in a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil (do not stir) until mixture begins to thicken, about 18 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened and jamlike, about 30 minutes. Add more lemon juice to taste, then let cool completely.

PEACH-PLUM SUMMER JAM

Steps:

• When selecting fruit, eyeball the quantities; you will want to end up with 4 cups of peeled and processed fruit, so the quantity of whole fruits may vary depending on size. If the fruit isn't perfectly ripe, let sit on counter for a day or two before peeling.
• Peel fruit by dropping whole fruits into boiling water for a minute or two, then plunge fruits into sink or a large bowl filled with ice water. When cool enough to handle, use a small paring knife to score bottom with a small shallow "x" and the skins should slip right off. Halve fruits and remove pits.
• Mash or process fruits to desired consistency and stir in ginger and pectin. Place fruit puree in a 4- to 6-quart pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to prevent burning. Cook for about 2 minutes, then dump in sugar and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and ladle into sterilized 1/2-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Process in hot water bath canner for 10 minutes or let cool and store in freezer.

STONE FRUIT JAM

Steps:

• Toss fruit and sugar together in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight, tossing periodically to coat and to dissolve the sugar. (This will help coax the juices out of the fruit.)
• Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• Bring the fruit to a strong simmer over medium heat until the skins burst and the juices start to boil, 10 to 15 minutes. If using a vanilla bean as an add-in, put it in the pot now.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the jam, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or spatula at first and more frequently as juices thicken until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fruit has begun to break down, about 25 to 35 minutes. How much it breaks down will depend on the type of fruit and how ripe it is. (For example, peaches are likely to retain their shape, while plums and apricots will break down almost entirely.)
• As the jam cooks, the liquid reduces, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles. This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate there, increasing the chance that the fruit will burn.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• When the jam reaches a slow, thick boil, add lemon juice and any of the add-ins (see note). Continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam has returned to its previously thickened state, about another 5 minutes. To test the consistency, spoon a bit of jam onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it's not there yet, cook it a few minutes more.
• Remove from heat, and pick out vanilla bean, if you added it earlier. Divide between jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top of the jar, and seal immediately. Can the jams (see our How to Make Jam guide for more instruction), or store in the refrigerator, using them up within a couple of weeks.

PEACH PLUM JAM

Steps:

• In a large pot combine peaches, plums, lemon juice and sugar.
• Cook, stiring, over med-high heat until sugar is melted.
• Bring to a rolling boil.
• Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add 2 pouches of Certo, stirring constantly.
• Return to a rolling boil.
• Boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
• Fill Hot sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• Wipe off jar rims with damp cloth.
• Top with 2 piece seal and ring.
• Hot water bath jars for 10 minutes.

PEACH-PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Stir together fruit, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved and mashing fruit with a potato masher. Add lemon juice; continue to boil, stirring frequently, until bubbles slow, chunks of fruit show at top, and mixture clings to a spoon but falls off in clumps, 10 to 12 minutes. Skim foam from top.
• Ladle jam into clean containers, leaving 3/4 inch of headroom. Let cool completely. Cover, label, and refrigerate up to 1 month, or freeze up to 1 year.

PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a 2 quart baking dish, stir together plums, 1 cup sugar, water, tapioca and cinnamon. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. (You can also cook the plum mixture in the microwave for 15 minutes.)
• Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, stir together baking mix, 3 tablespoons sugar, milk and melted margarine to form a biscuit dough. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto plum mixture. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.

TINY TIM'S PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease an 8-cup pudding mold, metal gelatin mold or ovenproof bowl; set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mix bread crumbs, flour, orange zest, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in plums, dates, raisins, carrots and currants., Transfer to prepared pudding mold. Cover tightly with heavy-duty foil; tie foil with kitchen string to secure., Place on a rack in a stockpot; add 3 in. hot water to pot. Bring water to a gentle boil; steam cake, covered, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 2 to 2-1/2 hours, adding more water to pot as needed. Remove pudding from pot; let stand 5 minutes before unmolding., Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat hard sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy. Unmold pudding onto a serving plate; serve warm with sauce.

PEACH PLUM JAM

Steps:

• 1. Prepare waterbath canner by placing clean jars on rack and fill pot and jars with hot water till it just barely covers the jars, then bring to a boil. Once the water begins to boil turn temperature down to simmer and drop in rings and lids.
• 2. Chop peaches and plums.
• 3. In an 8 large pot combine chopped peaches, plums and juice or water. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
• 4. Add sugar. Boil hard for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
• 5. Remove jars from canner and empty out water. Place jars on a folded towel.
• 6. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, one at a time leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars. Apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.
• 7. Place filled jars in canner making sure jars are covered by at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Place lid on canner. Bring to water to gentle, steady boil. Process for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let set for an additional 5 minutes.
• 8. Remove jars and place on a folded towel and let cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Check to see if lids are popped down before storing. If they aren't store in fridge.

SUPERB ENGLISH PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Blend the fruits, citron, peel, spices and suet and place in a bowl or jar. Add 1/4 cup cognac, cover tightly and refrigerate for 4 days, adding 1/4 cup cognac each day.
• Soak the bread crumbs in milk and sherry or port. Combine the well-beaten eggs and sugar. Blend with the fruit mixture. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Put the pudding in buttered bowls or tins, filling them about 2/3 full. Cover with foil and tie it firmly. Steam for 6-7 hours. Uncover and place in a 250°F. oven for 30 minutes. Add a dash of cognac to each pudding, cover with foil and keep in a cool place.
• To use, steam again for 2-3 hours and unmold. Sprinkle with sugar; add heated cognac. Ignite and bring to the table. Serve with hard sauce or cognac sauce.