Plum Coolers Recipes

Steps:

• For the filling: Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the plums, granulated sugar and salt, and stir to combine.
• For the topping: Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub the mixture together with your fingers to form a coarse meal with some pea-size lumps. Add the half-and-half, and stir with a wooden spoon to form a wet dough.
• Drop small spoonfuls of the dough over the plum mixture. Cover the slow cooker with a lid, and cook on high heat until the cobbler is bubbly and the biscuits are cooked through, 3 to 4 hours.
• Rest the cobbler for 20 minutes. Spoon the cobbler into serving bowls, and then sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to serve.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring sugar, 2 plums, and 1 cup water to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Let cool completely. Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve. (To store, refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 2 weeks.)
• Fill eight glasses with ice. To each, add 3 tablespoons syrup, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 1/2 ounces vodka. Divide remaining uncooked plum among glasses, top with seltzer, and serve.

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine plums and 1 1/2 cups/300 grams granulated sugar. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fruit releases juices and becomes very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. You'll use this later to check the doneness of the jam.
• Purée plum mixture in pot using an immersion blender (be careful of splashing), or remove from pot and purée in a blender or food processor until relatively smooth. Return purée to pot if you removed it, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and reduces by about half, about 10 minutes. You should end up with about 3 1/2 cups/840 milliliters plum jam. (You can test the doneness by spooning a small amount of the jam onto the chilled plate, returning it to the refrigerator and letting it sit for 2 minutes. It should keep a clean line when you run your finger through it.)
• In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1/3 cup/65 grams granulated sugar with cornstarch to combine. Whisk sugar-cornstarch mixture into jam and cook, stirring occasionally, until it simmers. Simmer for 1 minute, stirring well to prevent scorching. Stir in vanilla extract, and cool plum mixture to room temperature.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees, and line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment paper with overhang on all sides. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir until the mixture forms streusel-like crumbs.
• Press 2/3 of crumb mixture into an even layer at bottom of prepared pan. Spread cooled plum jam in an even layer over crust, then sprinkle remaining crumb mixture evenly over top of jam.
• Bake until jam bubbles at edges and streusel is lightly browned, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before slicing into 12 pieces.

Steps:

• Using a potato masher or fork, gently crush the plums in a large bowl to release some pulp and juices while keeping the fruit chunky. Toss with the sugar, then add the ginger and lemon zest and juice. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Measure the volume of your fruit mixture; you should have about 6 cups.
• If your package of pectin comes with calcium powder, stir 1/4 teaspoon of the calcium powder into 1/4 cup water to dissolve. Set aside. Place the 4 1/2 teaspoons pectin in a stand blender, or have it measured and ready if using an immersion blender. Bring 1 cup water to a boil, then pour it into the stand blender and blend. (If using an immersion blender, add the pectin to the saucepan and blend.) The mixture should become very smooth and look like a soft gel. Stir the pectin mixture into the fruit until evenly combined, then stir in 4 teaspoons of the calcium water, if using. The jam should thicken and be softly set. Add the salt, stir and taste. Adjust after tasting with more teaspoons of lemon juice, if necessary, for a good balance of sweet and tart.
• Transfer to clean airtight containers, cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours and up to 2 weeks before serving. Or, store in the freezer for up to 3 months; defrost completely in the refrigerator before serving.

Steps:

• Place the plums and water into a large pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, and add butter to reduce foaming, if needed. Bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly, and then mix in the pectin quickly. Return the jam to a full boil, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim off and discard any foam.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the plum jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/8 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area. Refrigerate opened jars for up to 3 weeks.

Steps:

• Bring plums and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan, then reduce heat to low and simmer until plums begin to soften and liquid is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, finely grate ginger, then squeeze juice into a small bowl; discard pulp.
• Combine sugar and pectin in a large bowl. Add plum mixture, lemon juice, pepper, cardamom, and 1 tsp. ginger juice (discard any remaining juice), then stir constantly for about 3 minutes to activate pectin. Using a potato masher or fork, break up any large plum pieces, then let cool at least 30 minutes.
• Ladle jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2" from the top to allow for expansion. Cover and chill.
• Do Ahead
• Jam can be made and chilled for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 1 year.

Steps:

• Rinse clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.
• Pit and finely chop unpeeled plums. Mix plums and 1/4 cup of the water in small saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 min. Measure exactly 3 cups prepared plums into large bowl. Stir in sugar. Let stand 10 min., stirring occasionally.
• Mix remaining 1/2 cup water and pectin in small saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 min. Add to fruit mixture; stir 3 min. or until sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)
• Fill all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.