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📝 Description
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🥘 Ingredients
To every lb. of sugar allow 1/4 pint of water.
👨🍳 Method
Gather the plums when they are full-grown and just turning colour; prick them, put them into a saucepan of cold water, and set them on the fire until the water is on the point of boiling. Then take them out, drain them, and boil them gently in syrup made with the above proportion of sugar and water; and if the plums shrink, and will not take the sugar, prick them as they lie in the pan; give them another boil, skim, and set them by. The next day add some more sugar, boiled almost to candy, to the fruit and syrup; put all together into a wide-mouthed jar, and place them in a cool oven for 2 nights; then drain the plums from the syrup, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over, and dry them in a cool oven.
📜 From Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861). Public domain.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
I tried my hand at preserving plums using a method from Mrs. Beeton's classic tome. I must admit, I was skeptical about the idea of drying plums in an oven, but I was pleasantly surprised by the results. The process of gently boiling the plums in syrup and then reducing it to a candy-like consistency was reminiscent of the old days in the kitchen. The real delight came when I discovered that the plums retained their vibrant color and a surprising amount of their natural juiciness, even after drying. I found that the resulting plums had a unique texture—chewy yet slightly crisp—with an intense, sweet-tart flavor. This recipe would be perfect for the weekend cook who enjoys the slow process of preserving and has a penchant for classic techniques. The dried plums are an excellent addition to a cheese board or a delightful snack on their own.
