This Perfect Plum Jam recipe is a beautiful way to preserve plums when you have an abundance! This way, you can enjoy gorgeous in season plums all year round. This recipe contains only 3 ingredients; plums, apples and sugar. As this recipe does not contain any added pectin, the apples help the jam to set and become firm. As such, this is a fool proof recipe! Enjoy this plum jam on toast, on scones, spread it on cake layers, add to cheesecakes, eat with porridge, the options are endless!
This jam is very uncomplicated to make. Begin by removing the stones from each plum and slices into quarters. Peel and core the apples and cut into small chunks. Add all the prepared fruit along with the sugar to a large, deep saucepan. Cook on medium for 20-30 minutes, stirring often until the fruit has broke down and the jam as thickened slightly. If using a thermometer, you’re looking for around 105°c.
Sterilise your chosen jars by submerging in boiling hot water for 5 minutes prior to filling or placing freshly washed jars into an oven at 150°c for 10 minutes. Jars can also be sterilised in a regular dishwasher cycle used without cleaning agents. Carefully transfer the hot jam into freshly sterilised jars. Place the lids on carefully but firmly and turn upside down to cool and seal.
Once completely cold, store the unopened jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Opened jam can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 month.
This jam can be made with plums of any ripeness as long as they are not gone rancid. Very ripe and squishy plums can be used, as can under ripe and harder plums. Under ripe or barely ripe plums do tend to have more pectin in them which helps the jam to set. I usually add in at least a handful of barely ripened plums to ensure it sets.
I have used both cooking (bramley) and eating (honeycrisp) apples to make this jam and both have turned out wonderfully.
Not at all. The skins on plums is very thin and breaks down easily. Because of this, I never peel plums when cooking.
Ok don’t panic! To begin with, make sure your jam has completely cooled. Jam will stay quite liquid while hot and will thicken considerably when it cools. If this isn’t the issue, check to see if you cooked it enough. The apple should have broken down completely and the plums should have pretty much turned to mush also. If you still have lumps of fruit that still have a bit of a bite, you probably just need to cook it more. Remove the jam from the jar(s) into a saucepan and cook on medium for another 5-10 minutes, stirring often. To make absolutely sure that it will set, you can use a sugar thermometer. You are looking to reach a temperature of 105°c.
For more Plum Recipes, check out my Plum Recipes, here.
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