Plum Butter Food

PLUM BUTTER

Steps:

• Sterilize jars and lids .
• Freeze several small plates to use for testing butter.
• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot. Add pod and stir in remaining ingredients. Slowly bring to a rolling boil over moderate heat (this will take about 15 minutes), stirring frequently. Boil, uncovered, stirring frequently, until plums are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Discard pod. Purée plums with liquid in batches in food mill set over a bowl. Transfer purée to pot and simmer over low heat, stirring and scraping bottom of pan frequently, until very thick, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (To test for doneness, drop a spoonful of plum butter on a chilled plate, then tilt; the mixture should not be runny. It should be about as thick as jam.)
• Drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel 1 minute, then invert. Ladle plum butter into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top, then run a thin knife between plum butter and jar to eliminate air bubbles.
• Seal, process, and store filled jars , boiling plum butter in jars 10 minutes.
• Let plum butter stand in jars at least 1 day for flavors to develop.

PLUM BUTTER

Steps:

• Split plums in half, remove pits, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Do not peel. Place in a 6-quart nonreactive saucepan, and add 1 cup water and the sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until fruit is very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; puree fruit and liquid in a food mill or food processor.
• Rinse saucepan and return puree to pan along with cardamom and cinnamon. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until thick enough to spread, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove from heat and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

PLUM BUTTER

Steps:

• Place plums in a large stockpot and add enough water to cover the bottom of stockpot; cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until plums are broken down, about 2 hours. Remove stockpot from heat and cool for 2 hours.
• Return stockpot to stovetop over low heat; cook gently for 2 to 3 hours. Remove from heat and keep at room temperature, 8 hours to overnight.
• Cook plums over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. Remove from heat and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Bring plums to a boil; add sugar, lower heat, and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack plum butter into hot jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

OLD FASHIONED PLUM BUTTER

Steps:

• Wash plums thoroughly and place in a large pot with enough water to BARELY cover fruit.
• Simmer uncovered, until soft, about 3 hours.
• Press through a strainer.
• Add sugar and cider and cook for about an hour or until thick.
• Seal in hot, sterilized jars and process in a boiling water bath for ten minutes.
• **Plum butter thickens by evaporative cooking. If mixture seem thin, there's likely a little too much water in the mixture. Make sure that you're cooking it with the lid off, stir frequently, and continue cooking until it thickens to your preference. You'll be able to speed up the process if you increase the surface area of the plum butter by transferring it to a wider pan, maybe a skillet. Don't increase the heat -- you'll be taking a chance of scorching it.

PLUM BUTTER DUMPLINGS (POWIDTASCHERLN)

Steps:

• In a sauce pan cook potatoes with skin on until fork tender.
• When cool enough to touch peel the potato.
• Rice or finely grate into a bowl.
• Add the flour, egg plus one yolk and a pinch of salt.
• Knead into a dough.
• Working on a WELL floured work surface roll the dough out fairly thin (the dough does get a bit sticky when rolling so make sure you have enough flour underneath, you can always shake off any access).
• Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter and cut circles.
• In the middle of each circle place a 1/2 teaspoon of plum butter (not too much because is may leak out the sides).
• In a small bowl beat the egg white to make an egg wash.
• Brush a little of the egg was around the edge of each dumpling.
• Fold each dumpling in half, and press edges together with fingers to make sure it is sealed (I always keep a small bowl of flour beside me when pinching to dip my fingers when it gets too sticky).
• In a large pot of boiling water add 10 - 12 dumplings at a time and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon into bowl of ice water (just to shock them it prevents sticking) then to a colander or somewhere where all the water can drip off.
• In a pan melt butter and oil add the dumpling a few at a time to ever so slightly brown.
• Pockets can be sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar or icing sugar.
• I mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it on with my fingers then pour a little whipping cream (about 1 tbsp for 4).