May 12, 2010

Tangy Plum Conserve

breakfast/brunch, Citrus, condiment, nuts, plums

Presented by

43 ratings

Prep time: 13/4 hours
standing time 30 minutes
cooking time 40 minutes Servings: Makes 12 (1-pint) jars

Every other year the old plum tree in my grandparents’ backyard would bear many plums.

Ingredients

8 pounds medium plums
4 medium oranges
4 medium lemons
2 cups raisins
6 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups walnut pieces

Directions

1

Cut plums in half; remove and discard pits. Peel, section and seed oranges, reserving peels and discarding seeds. Juice lemons, reserving peels and discarding seeds.
2

Combine lemon juice and reserved orange and lemon peels in a blender. Process until peels are finely grated.
3

Rinse and separate raisins; drain well. Combine raisins, 1 cup sugar and boiling water in a medium bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let stand, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
4

Combine plums, oranges, raisin mixture and remaining granulated sugar in a stockpot. Cook mixture, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
5

Add lemon juice mixture and walnuts to plum mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes longer.
6

Spoon into 12 hot sterilized 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal with 2-piece lids. Process in hot water bath for 5 minutes.

Grandma's Secret Trick

Grandma served conserve on buttered toast and English muffins, but she also had other uses for it. She spread crackers with cream cheese, then added a small amount of conserve on top. And she sometimes substituted it for applesauce in applesauce cake to give it a more complex flavor.