Mundane News

[Reynard]

Would honey work rather than sugar ?

What do you reckon?

I genuinely don't know.

My one concern is that honey wouldn't handle the extended cooking time, and you could end up with a burnt / bitter end result.

 

[colly]

I genuinely don't know.

My one concern is that honey wouldn't handle the extended cooking time, and you could end up with a burnt / bitter end result.

Yes. Good point.

 

[colly]

I genuinely don't know.

My one concern is that honey wouldn't handle the extended cooking time, and you could end up with a burnt / bitter end result.

What about...........what about..

Cooking the plums with a little bit more water, reducing, and thickening. Then adding the honey and to reduce further to the thick gloopy stage, putting the saucepan in a larger pan containing simmering water. No direct heat.

Not hot enough? Honey is runny after all, maybe it would not be fast enough.

I do cook but I'm not a cook so any suggestions would help.
👍

 

[biggs682]

What are you not telling us about Northamptonshire?

It's a rough ol' place

 

[Reynard]

What about...........what about..

Cooking the plums with a little bit more water, reducing, and thickening. Then adding the honey and to reduce further to the thick gloopy stage, putting the saucepan in a larger pan containing simmering water. No direct heat.

Not hot enough? Honey is runny after all, maybe it would not be fast enough.

I do cook but I'm not a cook so any suggestions would help.
👍

The whole point is to get rid of the moisture, with the sugar acting as the preservative. The little bit of water at the beginning (two or three tablespoons) is to stop the fruit from catching on the bottom of the pan until it starts releasing its own juice.

You mess around with sugar type and content in preserves at your peril, as you will end up with a mouldy and / or fermented mess that just ends up in the bin. Which would be a waste. (This is me speaking whilst wearing my champion preserve maker's hat)

 

[Gravity Aided]

If you've got excess plums, a good way of using them up is to make Powidła - a Polish plum spread. You need a fair bit of plums to get a decent quantity, as you drive off the moisture to help thicken it.

Really simple to make, but requires a bit of time. And watching the pot, stirring regularly to prevent catching.

Wash, halve and stone as many plums as you want to use. Weigh. Then weigh out half the amount of sugar and set aside.

Cook the plums till very soft (you might need to add a splash of water at the beginning), then add the sugar, stir till dissolved, and then cook on a very low heat until very thick and gloppy.

This last stage takes a fair few hours - the beauty of it is, unlike jam, you can turn it off, pop a lid on, and leave it until you've time to have another session. When you can leave a clear channel at the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, ladle into clean jars and seal while hot.

This is lovely on hot buttered toast.

Don't forget slivovitz. (Polish Plum Brandy/jet fuel/paint thinner.)

 

[Gravity Aided]

The whole point is to get rid of the moisture, with the sugar acting as the preservative. The little bit of water at the beginning (two or three tablespoons) is to stop the fruit from catching on the bottom of the pan until it starts releasing its own juice.

You mess around with sugar type and content in preserves at your peril, as you will end up with a mouldy and / or fermented mess that just ends up in the bin. Which would be a waste. (This is me speaking whilst wearing my champion preserve maker's hat)

Does it set itself, or does it need rennet?

 

[Gravity Aided]

*Armed?

They don't work Saturdays, nor do drivers.

 

[classic33]

We don't work Saturdays

It'd be late Friday night for you though, when he goes out early hours on Saturday morning here.

 

[Reynard]

Don't forget slivovitz. (Polish Plum Brandy/jet fuel/paint thinner.)

Śliwowica, you mean. That's the Czech spelling.

 

[Reynard]

Does it set itself, or does it need rennet?

Rennet is for cheese! You're probably thinking of pectin. And no, it doesn't need any.

 

[Reynard]

Washing up done.

 

[wbm5]

and the saga continues , had a phone call telling us to come for a blood test ready for the procedure which is on according to them in another department ......

Sorry to read this. Stressful enough for you all without it.