Mrs Beetons Jams and Preserves Revisited
To Preserve Plums Dry
Plums
To every 450g (1lb) of Sugar allow:
150ml (¼ pint) Water
Gather the plums when they are full grown and just turning colour.
Prick them, put into a saucepan of cold water and place the on the heat until the water is on the point of boiling.
Remove them, drain and boil them gently in syrup made with the above ratio of sugar and water.
If the plums shrink and will not take the sugar, prick them as they lie in the pan.
Bring to the boil, skim and set them by.
The next day add some more sugar, boiled almost to candy, to the fruit and syrup.
Put all together into a wide mouthed jar and place them in a cool oven for 2 nights.
Drain the plums from the syrup, sprinkle a caster sugar over and dry them in a cool oven.
Time: 15 to 20 minutes to boil the plums in the syrup.
Seasonable from August to October.
TO PRESERVE PLUMS DRY
1582. INGREDIENTS - To every lb. of sugar allow 1/4 pint of water.
Mode - Gather the plums when they are full-grown and just turning colour; prick them, put them into a saucepan of cold water, and set them on the fire until the water is on the point of boiling. Then take them out, drain them, and boil them gently in syrup made with the above proportion of sugar and water; and if the plums shrink, and will not take the sugar, prick them as they lie in the pan; give them another boil, skim, and set them by. The next day add some more sugar, boiled almost to candy, to the fruit and syrup; put all together into a wide-mouthed jar, and place them in a cool oven for 2 nights; then drain the plums from the syrup, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over, and dry them in a cool oven.
Time - 15 to 20 minutes to boil the plums in the syrup.
Seasonable from August to October.
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