Confettura di Susine (Italian Plum Jam)

Keep the flavor of summer with this delicious plum jam. Every summer I prepare several jams when fruit is mature and rich in flavor. Plum jam is one of my favorite ones. I could eat a whole jar by itself, one spoon after the other! A few days ago a friend gave me a bag full of tasty Italian plums (susine) just picked from her garden. I instantly knew I had to make a jam to enjoy with my morning breakfast on a piece of toast or as dessert on crostata . Once you taste homemade plum jam you will never buy it again – it so tasty, rich in flavor and healthy. My recipe calls only for fresh plums and sugar, no pectin is added. Italian plums, called susine in Italian, are egg-shaped plums with a deep purple color and dense flesh rich in flavor. They are equally delicious fresh or made into jams and preserves that you can enjoy with both sweet and savory dishes. They are native to the Italian peninsula and have light acidic taste compared to round plums. This makes them quite unique. They are low in calories, rich in vitamins, minerals (potassium and calcium) and fiber, and are therefore good helping to regulate your digestive system.

CONFETTURA DI SUSINE (ITALIAN PLUM JAM)

Preparation time: 50 min.     Cooking time: 30-35         Yield: 1 kg (36 oz)

INGREDIENTS

1.350 g (3 lbs) Italian plums, seeded and cut into pieces
500 g (2 1/3 cups) granulated sugar
1/2 organic lemon, juice

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium size pot cook the plums on medium heat for 5 minutes
2. Add sugar, the lemon juice and stir well to combine all ingredients
3. Cook on medium-low heat for an additional 30-35 min. until thickness is similar to honey, stirring occasionaly and skiming off the foam
4. Remove from the heat. If you prefer a smooth jam, you can blend it for a few seconds at low speed.  Can as described in strawberry jam . – Paola