The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-06
HINTS ABOUT PLUMs.
Puddings, Pies, Jams and Soup to
Be Made with This Fruit.
New York Sun.


The markets are displaying fine plums in
many varieties. Plums make desirable
sweetmeat, as we'll as many other excellent
dishes. Here few hints:
In localities where plums are plenty a IA
Vorable way of serving this fruit IS to peel
them, cut them into halves, and remove
the pits. Serve them in glass dishes with
powdered sugar, sherry, and whipped
cream. Another way of serving plums is
to frost the edge and sides of loaf of
cake When the frosting becomes dry cut
out the inside of the cake leaving n wall
an inch and half all the way around. Fill
this cake box with the prepared plums,
sprinkle them with powdered sugar. and
heap whipped cream over the top.
three pounds of plums allow one and one
half cups Of sugar and three-quarters of an
ounce each of cloves. mace, cinnamon and
aIlspice. Put the sugar over the pitted
plums in a preserving kettle, cover and let
them remain over night. In the morning
tied in a cheese cloth bag and cook very
slowly until there is a thick jam: Put 1t
into jelly glasses, and when cold it should
turn out and keep in shape like jelly.
An old-fashioned recipe is for blue plum
cheese Fill a large earthen bowl with
of water and let the water boil replenish-
ing it as it evaporates until the plums
have become soft. Then rub the pulp
and pits. To a pint of pulp add half a
pound of cut sugar and cook In porcelain
lined kettle very slowly until it is THICK
mess. Crack the plum pits and remove the
meats. blanch and add them to the cooking
mixture. When it is thick as desired turn
it into glasses and, when cold, cover
plum pudding is made thus: Cut the
fruit into halves and remove the pits, haV-
ing enough to little more than half fill
pudding dish. Sprinkle the fruit with
sugar and add two tablespoonfuls of sherry
or port Wine. Put the dish into the oven,
cover, and cook fifteen minutes. Make a
batter by stirring together one cup of SUI
gar, two tablespoonfuls Of melted butter,
With 't two tablespoonfuls of baking powder,
Meanwhile remove the dish containing the
plums from the oven and let the dish get
cool before pouring the batter over the
fruit Bake in quick oven and serve with
a rich sauce.
In making a plum pie the paste should be
rolled very thin. Pit the fruit and fill the
lined plate. heaping it. Dredge lightly
with flour and sprinkle with sugar. Cover
with the pie crust, making large vents to
allow the steam to escape. A plum pie
should bake slowly.
To make spiced plums. damsons are the
best variety to use. For seven pounds of
plums take three and one-half pounds of
brown sugar, one pint of vinegar, and one
ounce each of cloves allspice, and mace,
and two ounces of cinnamon, putting the
spices into muslin bag. Place the ingredi-
ents In a preserving kettle and cook slowly
This is delicious relish to serve with
meats or poultry.
of gelatine in one cup of cold water. Beat
the yolks of three eggs with a generous cup
of sugar. Pour half pint of boiling water
over the soaked gelatine and add to the
egg mixture. Put the whole over the fire
and stir until the eggs begin to thicken,
but do not let it boil Meanwhile have
ready large cupful Of plums peeled and
cut into halves. with the pits removed.
Pour the hot mixture over them stir to-
gether. flavor with sherry. and let the dish
stand until cold. Beat the whites of the
eggs to stiff froth. and when the jelly be-
gins to set beat until it light and spongy
and will just pour. Turn into a mold, and
when set serve with whipped cream.
The following is a German recipe for
plum soup, and is said to be good: Cover
several dozen large purple plums with boil
ing water; let them stand a few moments
and turn the water off. Peel the plums and
lay them in stew pan. Sprinkle over them
two ia blespoonfuls of sugar and the grated
peel of half lemon. Moisten with a little
white wine and pour over the whole one
pint of water. Boil until they are soft and
press through a PURGE sieve. Put into a
china tureen. Make a thin syrup of one
cup of sugar and one cup of water. Peel
two dozen plums, cut in halves and drop
them into the hot syrup. Cook five min
utes, add a cup of wine, and pour the whole
mixture into the tureen. Put this soup
where it will become ice cold and serve
with Zwiebach.