Victorian Plum Conserve Recipes

PLUM CONSERVE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine plums, cranberries, oranges, orange juice and 2-1/2 cups sugar. Mix remaining sugar with pectin; set aside. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened and plums soften, about 15 minutes. Stir in pectin mixture and walnuts; return to a full rolling boil. Boil and stir 1 minute., Remove from heat. Ladle hot mixture into 7 hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

BLUE PLUM CONSERVE

Steps:

• Grind the oranges and 1/2 lemon in a meat grinder, using the coarsest blade. Combine all the ingredients, except the nuts, in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until the conserve thickens. Remove from heat, stir in nuts and pour into hot, sterilized jelly glasses. Cover with a thin layer of melted paraffin. When hardened, cover glasses and store.

PLUM CONSERVE

Steps:

• Combine plums and sugar, let stand until juice forms-about 1 hour.
• Combine plum mixture, pineapple and lemon in a 6 quart or larger pot.
• Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until thick-around 40 minutes, or until the jell point.
• Remove from heat and stir in nuts.
• Quickly ladle into clean, hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head space.
• Process in a boiling water bath 15 minutes at altitudes up to 1000 feet.