Strictly speaking, prunes are dried plum fruits, with or without stones. But due to the fact that for the preparation of this type of dried fruit the variety “Hungarian” is usually used, it is also commonly called prunes in everyday life. Fresh plums of this variety can be not only dried, but also used to prepare various sweet dishes. Popular prune jam made from this culinary variety plums. And the recipes of this delicacy are many, one more interesting than the other. So there is something to choose from.
Cooking Features
To make the prune jam into an exquisite dessert, you need not only to find the original recipe, but also to know its cooking features.
- For the preparation of prunes jam, they use exclusively fresh fruits of the “Hungarian” plum. They must be ripe and not spoiled. Therefore, having reaped the crop, it is necessary to sort it out, discarding rotten, moldy or rotted specimens, and removing the stalks with leaves from the others.
- Whether to extract bones from prunes depends on the recipe you selected. If it is required to do this, then it is necessary to start this process after the fruits have been well washed. To do this, it is enough to make a longitudinal incision and remove the bone through it. Fully prunes are usually not cut, trying to make it look whole and without stones. However, if you still have to grind it with a prescription, you can not be afraid to make an incision around the entire circumference.
- It is best to wash prunes one by one in warm water.
- The storage conditions for prune jam depend on how it is prepared. Most often, it is well worth it at room temperature.
- Regardless of the chosen recipe and storage conditions of the finished jam, it should be laid out on previously sterilized jars, preferably of a small volume.
Recipes for cooking prunes are simple and complex; jam can be made with or without stones. And each recipe allows you to get a delicious delicacy, which few people indifferent.
Prune jam with stones
Composition (for 2, 5 l):
- prunes with stones - 2 kg;
- sugar - 0, 75 kg.
Method of preparation:
- Wash the prunes and pat dry with a towel.
- Nail each plum with a clean needle or wooden toothpick.
- Fold the fruit into an enamel bowl, cover it with sugar and leave to infuse for three hours.
- Place a bowl of prunes on the stove, cook on low heat until boiling, then increase the flame and cook the fruit for 5 minutes, stirring so that they do not burn, and removing the foam.
- Spread the jam over the prepared jars, roll them up and store them in a cool place.
Prune jam with seeds has a unique flavor with subtle almond notes. It is for him that it is most appreciated. However, during long-term storage, jam can absorb harmful substances from the bones, which, by the way, give it a unique smell. Therefore, it is necessary to eat jam with pits within two months.
Pitted Prune Jam
Composition:
- prunes (without stones) - 1 kg;
- sugar - 1, 25 kg;
- water - 0, 4 liters.
Method of preparation:
- Remove the stones from clean prunes.
- In an enameled basin of water and sugar, adding it gradually, boil a thick syrup.
- Strain the syrup, drain again into the basin and bring to a boil.
- “Drown” in syrup prunes and remove the pelvis from the stove.
- After 3 hours, place the bowl on the fire and cook the prunes in the syrup for 10 minutes, and after 3 hours, repeat the procedure.
- After waiting another 2-3 hours, put the bowl of jam on the stove again and cook the prunes for 5 minutes.
- Spread the thick jam over the prepared jars, roll them up and put them in the pantry - this jam does not require special storage conditions.
This recipe produces quite thick jam, which can be turned into jam, if it is crushed before the last stage of heat treatment, and the cooking time is increased, so that the jam thicker.
Chocolate Prune Jam
Composition (2 liters):
- prunes (without stones) - 1, 5 kg;
- sugar - 0, 4 kg;
- cocoa powder - 50 g;
- butter - 100 g.
Method of preparation:
- After washing the prunes and removing the stones, chop its flesh with a blender.
- Pour the plum puree with sugar, leave for half an hour.
- Cook plum puree for half an hour.
- Add the chopped butter, cocoa and, stirring it all carefully, cook for another quarter of an hour.
- Spread the plum-chocolate dessert over sterilized cans, closing them tightly. Store in a cool dark place.
Such a delicacy will appeal not only to women and children, but to all sweets without exception.
Prune jam with nuts and brandy
The composition (1, 5 l):
- prunes without stones - 1 kg;
- sugar - 0, 75 kg;
- walnut kernels - 100 g;
- cognac - 20 ml.
Method of preparation:
- Half a prune pour half a kilogram of sugar, let them stand for an hour.
- Finely chop with a knife and cover with warm water nuts, drain the water in an hour.
- Place the container with the prunes on the stove, bring its contents to a boil and cook, stirring, for 20 minutes.
- Pour the remaining sugar and nuts, cook for another half hour, without ceasing to stir.
- Add brandy, stir and remove the bowl of jam from the heat.
- Spread the jam over the jars, roll them up. You can store in the closet at room temperature.
This unusual dessert will surely attract the attention of guests and arouse their admiration.
Prune jam with pumpkin
Composition (2 liters):
- pumpkin pulp - 1 kg;
- prunes (with stones) - 1 kg;
- sugar - 0, 5-0, 75 kg;
- nutmeg - 1 g;
- ground cinnamon - 1 g;
- vanillin - 1 g.
Method of preparation:
- Cut pumpkin into cubes about a centimeter in size.
- Remove pits from prunes, cut flesh into strips.
- Mix the plum with the pumpkin, add sugar and leave for 3 hours.
- Cook the pumpkin with prunes for 10 minutes, after 6-8 hours cook the same amount.
- Add vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir for an hour.
- Bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes and spread on sterilized jars. Screw them in and store them.
Storage conditions depend on the amount of sugar used, if there was a lot of it, it can be stored at room temperature, if it is small, it is better to put it in the refrigerator. When adding spices to the jam, you can simultaneously add an orange rolled through the meat grinder - this will give it a pleasant aroma and improve its safety.
Prune jam at any time of the year will take a worthy place on the table.
