Description
A fragrant and flavorful homemade cinnamon-scented plum jam made with ripe plums, cinnamon, and a touch of lemon juice. This jam offers a perfect balance of sweetness and spice, ideal for spreading on toast or adding to desserts. The recipe includes sterilization tips to ensure safe preserving and yields a smooth, richly flavored jam with subtle cinnamon notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit and Flavorings
- 2kg plums, stoned and roughly chopped
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 cinnamon sticks (optional)
- Knob of butter
Sugar and Liquid
- 2kg white granulated sugar
- 200ml water
Instructions
- Sterilise Jars and Equipment: Wash jars and lids in hot, soapy water, rinse well, then place them on a baking tray in a low oven for 10 minutes or until completely dry. Sterilise any funnels, ladles, or spoons you plan to use. If using rubber seals, remove and cover them in just-boiled water.
- Prepare Frozen Saucers for Testing: Put a couple of saucers in the freezer to prepare for testing the jam’s set later on.
- Cook Plums: Place the stones removed plums in a preserving pan with 200ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the plums are tender but not falling apart.
- Dissolve Sugar and Flavorings: Add the 2kg sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1 tbsp lemon juice to the plums. Allow the sugar to dissolve slowly without boiling, which takes about 10 minutes.
- Boil Jam: Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil for about 5 minutes, then spoon a little jam onto a cold saucer from the freezer. After a few seconds, push the jam with your fingertip—if it wrinkles, the jam is ready. If not, continue boiling and test again until reaching 105°C (221°F) or achieving the wrinkle test.
- Finish Jam and Add Butter and Cinnamon Sticks: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the knob of butter to disperse any scum and add the cinnamon sticks for visual appeal and extra flavor (if using).
- Cool and Jar: Let the jam cool for 15 minutes to prevent fruit lumps from sinking to the bottom. Ladle the jam into hot sterilised jars, seal tightly, and leave to cool completely.
- Storage: Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year. Once opened, keep refrigerated.
Notes
- Sterilising jars and equipment properly is crucial to ensure safe preservation and long shelf life.
- Using two batches rather than doubling the recipe is recommended to ensure proper cooking and better flavor development.
- Lemon juice increases acidity and helps the jam set, but can be omitted if plums are unripe.
- Testing jam readiness using the cold saucer wrinkle test or a sugar thermometer reading 105°C ensures perfect consistency.
- Addition of a knob of butter reduces scum formation on the jam surface during boiling.
- Cinnamon sticks are optional but add visual appeal and an extra cinnamon aroma in the jars.
- The jam keeps well for up to one year unopened in a cool, dark place and should be refrigerated once opened.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Jam and Preserves
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: plum jam, cinnamon jam, homemade jam, preserves, fruit jam, stovetop jam, easy jam recipe
