by: BradPosted on:

Homemade Plum and Orange Jam.

Plum Orange Jam

This jam is so easy to make and so deliciously tangy, you’ll want to make a mega batch to stock your cupboard. I made this with just a few spare plums, an orange and some sugar and spice for just a jar full, but it turned out so tasty I went looking for more!

I spread it on my morning toast and thought I’d make a quick batch of scones to slap it on but never got around to it. Maybe next time and it’s given me an excuse to make more.

Fridge clean out days always gives me a chance to get creative with leftover produce and this one was no exception. I found a half dozen plums, an orange and apple and thought “what can I do with this instead of binning it ?   I could compost it … ( waste not want not right) …or feed it to my chickens but decided they probably aren’t too keen on citrus so I hatched a plan for Jam.

Want to make some? Here’s how:

Equipment:

  • Measuring cup
  • 1 tablespoom
  • Wooden spoon
  • Juicer
  • A large pot
  • A clean jar
  • Cutting board
  • A second pot for sterilizing
  • ½ litre of water
  • Labels
  • A small sharp knife
  • A clean tea towel
  • Tongs

Ingredients:

  • 5-6 ripe plums
  • 1 apple
  • 1 orange
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • ÂĽ – ½ cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon Mixed spice
  • *extra spice like ginger or cinnamon if you like

Preparation:

First off place all equipment like the storage jar, measuring spoon etc in a large pot, add about ½ lite of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on. The steam should sterilize everything nicely.

Allow it to cool enough to handle before carefully transferring everything ( with the tongs) onto a clean tea towel to dry and cool, before making your jam.

Method:

  1. Peel the apple and dice it. Add to the cooking pot
  2. Cut the flesh from the plums, add to the cooking pot (discard the seeds)
  3. Cut the orange in half and juice it. Add the juice to the pot.
  4. Add the orange peel to the pot.
  5. Add the sugar, spice, and enough water to help dissolve the sugar
  6. Slowly bring to the boil while stirring the mixture, to dissolve the sugar
  7. Once boiling turn it down to a slow simmer
  8. Place the lid on and simmer for 10-15 minutes to cook the fruit, stirring regularly
  9. Remove the lid and turn it to a low heat and stir regularly until the mixture turns to a thick jam consistency (the Pectin in the orange peel will help set it)
  10. It will look cooked when it sticks to a metal spoon and isn’t very watery.
  11.  Allow to cool
  12. Remove the orange peel (or you can slice and dice it up and add to the jam for a marmalade style jam)
  13. Transfer to the clean and sterile Jar.
  14. Chuck on a label

Enjoy your Plum Orange jam.  

Serving suggestion.

Ok so I forgot to take some photos of my finished jam or some pics showing it served up on scones or pikelets (mini pancakes)… The photos are some stock photos I used from the net for serving suggestions only…..But you get the point. Add some fresh whipped cream and a pot of tea and you’ll be eating in style….Or you could top it on ice cream, make jam drop biscuits or get creative.