Vanilla Cardamom Plum Jelly

Rinshinomori's Note:

What to do when your backyard Satsuma plum tree is loaded with plums? That's easy, make jams and jellies like this one. This recipe comes from Cuisine with changes. Makes 4 (8 oz) jars or 8 (4 oz) jars.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 8 oz

• 3 lbs plums , seeded, and chopped with skin left on (use food processor)
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup brandy (can use water)
• 1 lemon , juice of
• 16 cardamom pods , crushed
• 2 tablespoons powdered fruit pectin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 ¼ cups sugar

Directions:

1. Prepare jars and lids by sterilizing in hot water.
2. Line a colander with cheesecloth and place it inside a bowl.
3. Bring plums, water, brandy, lemon juice, and cardamom to a boil in large pot over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until fruit is soft, about 15 minutes.
4. Pour plum mixture into colander. Without pressing on fruit, let mixture drain until all juice has strained into the bowl, about 45 minutes. Add water to make 2 3/4 C juice.
5. Return juice to pot with pectin, vanilla and bring to a full boil over high heat until mixture doesn't stop bubbling when stirred.
6. Stir in sugar and return mixture to a full boil. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove pot from heat. Skim off and discard any foam from top.
7. Ladle jelly into hot jars, filling them to within 1/4 inch of their rims. Cover each jar with a two-piece lid. Return jars to canner.
8. Process filled jars for 5 minutes, beginning timing when water comes to a boil. After 5 minutes, turn off heat and remove canner lid. Allow jars to rest in hot water 5 minutes.

Reviews

[CampChatsworthCook]

Lordy Lordy this is one delicious and beautiful jelly...so sophisticated in its flavors. I bet it would make a stunning thumbprint cookie. At any rate I hardly changed a thing except to add about 8 chopped prunes to deepen the color and flavor. I also very coarsely chopped the prunes in about 1/2-1 inch chunks. Here's almost the best part...instead of pitching the plums after draining them and making the jelly I transferred them bit by bit back to the jelly pot, picking out the cardamom pods as I went. Then I drizzled the cooked plums with honey and vanilla. I buttered a souffle dish, packed the bottom with shortbread crumbs ( you can use whatever cookie or stale cake crumbs you have). I spread the plum mixture over the crumbe and topped the whole thing with a recipe of egg custard but you can use any cooked custard I imagine. Do not use any packaged pudding mix please...this is way too delicious to contaminate with instant pudding. The result is beyond wonderful....and it all started with this terrific jelly. Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe.