so many plums!

[cacran]

I have so many Victoria plums, even after giving lots away. I made some gorgeous Blackcurrent cordial this year and wondered if there is such a thing as plum cordial. Does anyone know?

[cacran]

[BarriedaleNick]

Don't know about a cordial - How about Plum liqueur..   :D

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink5945.html

[okra]

Plum jam lovely

[Fork]

My plum tree is producing fruit for the first time....the plums are huge and very plentiful....so much so that one of the branches snapped off.I picked the plums which are a deep purple but very hard.....will they ripen and can I hurry them on a little bit?

[BarriedaleNick]

Fork - you could try the banana method. Bananas give out a gas which speeds up the ripening of fruit - just stick a nana in the fruit blow with the plums..

[Fork]

Fork - you could try the banana method. Bananas give out a gas which speeds up the ripening of fruit - just stick a nana in the fruit blow with the plums..

It would have to be a bloomin big fruit bowl...the ones from the broken plant weigh a17lbs...lol.

But I will do what you suggest with some of them,thanks.

[Aden Roller]

So many plums!

I have two trees on the allotment, one a dwarf victoria and the other a £5 supermarket special, both in their 3rd year.

Last year I picked a few plums. This year 12lbs from the bigger unknown deep purple variety - the plums were huge. Today a bucket full to the brim of Victoria plums from the dwarf tree and there's loads more waiting to be picked.

Most will go into the freezer for making jam when I have enough time.

When the oven is in place a fruit pie would be brilliant!

[sunloving]

Hi How lovely to have a plum glut.
Ive not made plum cordial but i would have a go making it like rhubard cordial. Chop them fine, boil with sugar and water to cover(vanilla if you fancy) then once cool add a teaspoon of citric acid then strain and bottle.
Its worth a try. also try making fruit leather with the strained out plup.
Spread a layer onto baking tray then cook on low heat in oven until hardish strips.

let us know how you get on
x sunloving

[goodlife]

When I was a little...I used to go visit this elderly couple with my parents and the old lady always served me with plum 'cordial'..while adults had coffee...YUK...I hated it,  but being bought up with strick rules I couldn't refuce  ::)..I was almost ready to through up.. ;D
That old woman must have noticed my dislike for it...what a cruel woman.. ::)
So yes..suppose you could make it..but for some reason I never got to ask how she made it.....
I've done some damson juice with steam juicer..that was almost like cranberry juice..that sort of tartness...but it was nice.

[chriscross1966]

Rumtopf?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumtopf

When my uncle was posted to Germany with the forces my folks were given once of the pots for Christmas... for years afterwards (at least a decade) the folks used to make it up with various fruits as the seasons came and went and then it generally got eaten in a big splurge over Christmas and New Year... it used up a couple of bottles of dark rum in the process, but as no-one in the house drank the stuff (apart from me when I was around 18 but I preferred Woods 100 to Captain Morgan) it was a bottle that's only purpose was to top up the crock....

Anyway, plums preserved in rum are lovely.... indeed I might make some up myself if I can find a source of plums.... as and when my cherry trees start producing there will be an experiment to see whether the sweet or sour ones are best for this

[cacran]

Sunloving. I will try your method and let you know what the outcome is. Could I use lemon juice in place of the citric acid, do you think?

[sunloving]

Yes im sure lemon juice or lime juice will do just as well.

You can get citric acid powder from brew shops its useful to have in the cupboard. but its used by heroin adicts for something so you can be looked at funny when you ask for it.

Good luck let us know how it turns out.

Im looking at steam juicers now wow one day!
x sunloving

[cacran]

Sunloving - I made the cordial from Plums. It has turned out really nice.

I did it like this........

Washed and stalked the plums, used 500 gm . Put them in the pan whole with 300gmsugar and 1 ltr water. Brought to boil then simmered until plums had broken down. I fished out the stones with a fork and sieved the mixture squashing it through the sieve (as you do!) I put about 2 tspns lemon juice with the plum juice and left to cool. Am going to keep in the fridge to be on the safe side. Just dilute with water and Bob's your Uncle!!!!!

I spread the pulp onto the baking sheet and baked at no 1 gas until it seemed to be done then cooled. It's gone a bit like toffee. Will let you know if it worked when I have a taste.

Grateful for your input, thanks.

[sunloving]

Wow thats brilliant well done.
I ate all my plums becuase tree only three years old but thats great to know that it works.

I save those half litre bottles you get pop in, fill them to around an inch and then freeze them with cordial in. I find that in the fridge it starts to go off after 3 or so weeks.
But such yummy stuff.

x sunloving

[cacran]

Mine wouldn't last long enough to go off, It is so yummy!!!! Freezer advice good but I never seem to have much spare space. Will bear it in mind though, thanks. Cacranx