Plum Jam

Name: Plum Jam
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 20 servings
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 1.2 kg dark blood plums; 1 kg white granulated sugar; 60 ml Lemon juice; 1 tsp lemon zest; 100 ml Water; 1 piece vanilla bean; 0.25 tsp Ground cinnamon; 10 g Unsalted butter

Rich, ruby-red homemade plum jam made with tart Victorian stone fruit, simmered to a glossy spread with subtle notes of vanilla and bright citrus.

🇦🇺Australia· Victoria

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 20
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 95 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

1¼ kg dark blood plums — halved, stones removed, roughly chopped
1 kg white granulated sugar — standard white sugar works best
60 ml Lemon juice — freshly squeezed for acidity and pectin
1 tsp lemon zest — finely grated
100 ml Water — tap water to help soften skins
1 piece vanilla bean — split lengthwise and seeds scraped
¼ tsp Ground cinnamon — subtle background warmth
10 g Unsalted butter — a small knob to dissolve surface froth

Equipment

•large heavy-based preserving pan
•wooden spoon
•small saucers
•sterilised glass jars with lids
•canning funnel
•ladle

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 95 kcal
fat: 0.4 g
carbs: 24 g
fibre: 0.8 g
protein: 0.3 g
calories: 95 kcal

Instructions

1
Place two small heatproof saucers into the freezer to chill for testing the jam set later.
2
Wash, halve, and stone the plums, then roughly chop the fruit into small chunks.
3
Combine chopped plums, lemon juice, lemon zest, water, vanilla bean, and cinnamon in a large heavy-based preserving pan.
4
Simmer gently over medium heat for fifteen minutes until the plum skins are completely tender.
5
Add the white sugar and stir over low heat until every crystal has dissolved completely.
6
Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rapid, rolling boil.
7
Boil uncovered for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring frequently to ensure the jam does not catch.
8
Drop a teaspoon of hot jam onto a chilled saucer and push with your finger to check for wrinkling.
9
Stir in the butter to disperse any remaining surface scum and take the pan off the heat.
10
Ladle hot jam into warm sterilised jars, leaving a one-centimetre headspace, and seal immediately.

Chef's tips

Always cook the plum skins until soft before adding the sugar, as sugar toughens fruit skins permanently. Testing on a freezing-cold saucer is the most reliable way to check the wrinkle test without a sugar thermometer. Leaving a few plum stones tied in muslin inside the pot during cooking adds natural pectin and a delicate nutty note.

Ingredient substitutions

blood plums → Satsuma, Angelina, or Damson plums
vanilla bean → one teaspoon vanilla bean paste added at the end of cooking

Storage

Store unopened sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to twelve months, and refrigerate after opening for up to six weeks.

Reheating

Serve at room temperature straight from the jar, or warm gently in a small dish in the microwave for ten seconds.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding sugar before the plum skins are soft, resulting in tough, leathery fruit pieces.
•Boiling too slowly over low heat, which darkens the colour and dulls the fresh fruit flavour.
•Pouring boiling jam into cold glass jars, causing the glass to crack.

Serving suggestions

Spread generously over warm scones with a dollop of thick double cream.Slather onto thick-cut buttered toast or freshly baked damper.Swirl through plain Greek yoghurt or spoon over vanilla bean ice cream.