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Sugarplum
Fantasies
Sugarplums are simply
sugared plums. A popular Victorian Christmas treat. They have been around a long
time. The sugaring technique is a pre-canning and freezing technique. The taste is quite sophisticated but still homey.
Sugarplums
You can
dry your fruits with a dehydrator or in the oven. Firm fruit works the best. Do
not store in airtight containers, store them in a cardboard box, in between
sheets of waxed paper. They will keep as long as store-brought dried
fruits.
1 pound of plums
1/2 pound of granulated sugar
pint of
water
2 pounds of granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of water
Begin
by making a thin syrup with half a pound of granulated sugar and a pint of
water.
Slit a pound of plums down the seam and put them into the
syrup.
Poach gently until just tender, be sure they remain covered with
syrup, or they will lose their color.
Cool, cover and refrigerate
overnight.
The following day make a thick syrup with 2 pounds of granulated
sugar and 2 tablespoons of water.
Boil until a little dropped in a bowl of
cold water makes a thick but soft ball.
Remove from heat and allow to become
cold.
Then carefully drain the plums as completely as possible from the first
syrup and place them gently in the second thick syrup.
Reheat and scald only
until the plums look clear, taking care that they are completely covered in the
syrup.
Allow to cool again.
Empty them into a shallow ceramic or glass
bowl, cover tightly and allow them to develop flavor in the refrigerator for a
week.
Take them out and spread them apart on dishes or plates.
Cover
loosely with parchment paper, put them in a warm, dry place and turn them every
day until dry.
If you put them in a very low warming oven, turning them every
half hour, at first, then every hour, etc., they can be dried much more quickly.
At this stage a home fruit dryer can also be used if desired.
This and other great recipes can be found at Victorian Christmas.
Sugarplums Ver.
2
2 cups whole almonds
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons grated
orange zest
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2
teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 cup finely chopped
pitted dates
1 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Toast
almonds in oven for about 10 minutes.
Let cool then finely chop.
Combine
honey, orange zest, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.
Add almonds, apricots and
dates.
Roll into walnut sized balls.
Roll balls in sugar.
Refrigerate
on waxed paper in airtight containers for up to 1 month.
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