Homemade Plum Jam

👨‍🍳 Method

1. 1
   Wash the fruit, halve, remove the pits and cut into quarters.

   KnifeCutting board
2. 2
   Put the fruit, sugar, lemon juice and water in a pot.

   Pot
3. 3
   Stir and let stand about an hour, until the fruit releases juices.

   💡Standing in sugar before cooking draws the juice out of the fruit: the sugar dissolves in it, and the jam doesn't burn on the bottom at the start.
4. 4
   Bring to a boil, stirring.

   Stove
5. 5
   Skim off the foam that rises at the start of cooking with a spoon.
6. 6
   Turn down the heat and simmer 35–45 minutes, until the fruit softens.

   ⚙ SimmeringStove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
7. 7
   Mash with a wooden spoon to the texture you want.

   Wooden spoon
8. 8
   Test the thickness: the jam is ready when a drop of it on a cold plate sets.

   💡The plate test: chill a small plate in the freezer ahead of time, drip a little jam onto it and wait half a minute. If the drop wrinkles when you push it with your finger, the jam is ready.
9. 9
   Pour into clean, sterilized jars.

   Jar
10. 10
    Keep in the fridge for up to a month.

    Refrigerator