Plum Paste

I got the plums from Arfi's garden, when I went to her house for an Auckland food bloggers get-together (this was in the Summer, a bit out of season now in NZ, but ok if you are in the Northern Hemisphere).

Wash the plums and place them in a large saucepan with a little water. Bring the fruit to a gentle boil.

Simmer the jam for about 20 minutes and then pass through a sieve, discarding the stones.
Put back into the pot and bring back to the boil. Add the sugar (I used 60% sugar to the weight of the fruit) and stir well. Simmer until you are happy with the consistency (the more you cook it, the thicker the paste. You can also add an apple (not peeled, just chopped and pips removed) for a thicker paste. 

Place the paste into plastic containers, jelly moulds, cups... anywhere you can let it set for a few weeks. I used a silicon muffin tray.

When you need to use the paste tip it over a plate. I did this a bit too early (I couldn't wait to try it) and the top was still soft, but the longer you wait the harder it will become. Arfi calls it Plum Cheese, it is great with bread or crackers.

Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©