Brandied Plums Recipes

FRIENDSHIP BRANDY FRUIT STARTER

Steps:

• TO START: Combine all ingredients in a clean, large glass jar.
• Stir gently with wooden spoon.
• Cover and let stand at room temperature for three weeks, stirring at least twice a week.
• Fruit is fermented when it is translucent.
• CARE AND FEEDING: Stir mixture daily.
• Every two weeks add one cup sugar and one cup of fruit and stir gently. Alternate fruits each time.
• Cover and let stand at room temperature at least three days before using.
• Do not add fruit more often than once every two weeks.
• Do not delay adding fruit for more than one or two days past schedule.
• IMPORTANT: To keep the starter going, retain at least three cups at all times.
• SHARING: Whenever you have more than six cups of fermented fruit, you may divide it into two portions, being sure there are at least three cups in each portion.
• Do this just before you would do a normal feeding.
• Feed each portion.
• Give one portion to a friend (with Care and Feeding directions) and keep one for yourself.
• Search on "friendship fruit" to find recipes that use this.
• There is also a Friendship Sourdough Starter (Recipe #647936) - yum!

BRANDIED PLUMS

Steps:

• Boil a stockpot of water as deep as the shoulder of a 2-quart jar with hinged lid.
• Wash and stem plums. Prick several holes around stem ends. Pack plums in jar. Quarter and pit plums that don't fit in jar and re-pack, placing quartered pieces in gaps that form between whole plums. Add cinnamon stick.
• In a 2-quart saucepan or skillet, bring sugar, salt and 1 cup water to a boil, then turn to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 10 minutes, stir in brandy. Immediately pour the liquid into jar up to 1/2-inch from the rim.
• Partly close jar, to leave gap for steam to escape, and place in pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Carefully remove jar with jar lifter or 2 tongs and close the lid tightly. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

BRANDIED FRUIT TOPPING

Steps:

• In a large saucepan combine raisins, mandarin oranges, prunes, sugar and water to cover. Simmer over medium heat until syrupy, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in peaches, pineapple and brandy. Store in refrigerator.

BRANDIED PLUMS

Steps:

• Boil a stockpot of water, as deep as the shoulder of a 2-quart jar with a hinged lid.
• Wash and stem the plums and prick several holes around the stem ends.
• Pack plums in the jar.
• Quarter and pit and the plums that will not fit in the jar and then re-pack the jar, interspersing the whole plums with the plum quarters.
• Add the cinnamon stick.
• In a two quart saucepan, bring the sugar, salt and 1 cup of water to a boil, then turn to low and simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Let the syrup cool for ten minutes, then stir in the brandy and immediately pour the liquid into the jar of plums, filling the jar up to a half inch from the rim.
• Partly close the jar, leaving a gap for steam to escape and place the jar in the stockpot of boiling water for ten minutes.
• Carefully remove the jar with a jar lifter or two pairs of tongs and close the lid tightly.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Refrigerate up to two weeks.

PLUM BRANDY

Steps:

• Make sure the plum halves are clean and dry, then put them in a large sterilised glass jar. Add the sugar, brandy, cinnamon stick and star anise. Seal and gently rotate the jar to help dissolve the sugar.
• Continue to gently shake or rotate the jar (trying not to bash the fruit too much) every day for a week.
• Once the sugar has dissolved, leave it in a cool dark cupboard for another 2 weeks to infuse.
• Strain the mixture through a sieve lined with muslin, kitchen paper or coffee filter paper. Discard the plums, any fruit pulp and the spices, and pour the strained brandy into a bottle. Will keep for two months.

BRANDIED DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the currants, cranberries, cherries, pears and apricots. Zest the orange and add the zest to the bowl. Add the lemon, ginger, anise seeds, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom.
• Juice the orange and add the liquid to the bowl. Add the brandy and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a jar, cover and refrigerate. (If you don't have a jar that's large enough, keep the mixture in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.) Allow the fruit to sit in the liquid for 2 to 14 days before using. The flavor of the fruit, spices and brandy will improve with time. At least once a day, turn the jar upside-down (or thoroughly stir the mixture if it's in a bowl) to make sure all the dried fruit gets coated in the brandied liquid. The mixture keeps in the refrigerator for months, stored in an airtight container.

BRANDIED FRUIT RECIPE

Steps:

• Peel, pit and cut the fruit into slices or chunks. If you are doing cherries, just pit and leave whole. Raspberries, blackberries, and other similar berries can be left whole.
• Mix the sugar together in a bowl and add the fruit, tossing very gently so the fruit is covered in the sugar mix and set aside for an hour.
• Make sure your jars and lids are clean and sterilized.
• Place the fruit in the jar and pour over the brandy to cover the fruit. Gently turn the jar upside down to allow air pockets to escape and brandy to penetrate the fruit.
• Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly to allow sugar to dissolve.
• After a day open and check the jar as the fruit absorbs the brandy and it may not be covering the fruit, so you might need to top up with a little more brandy.
• Cap the jar again and leave the jars in a cool dark place to mature, giving them a gentle shake every couple of days to ensure even penetration of the brandy into all parts of the fruit.
• After one month (30 days, or 720 hours, if you are counting down in anticipation) the fruit will be ready to start using. At this stage transfer to the refrigerator and use within three months.

BRANDIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Step 1: Drain juice from 1 cup cherries, 1 cup pineapple, 1 cup sliced canned peaches and 1 cup sliced canned apricots.
• Step 2: In a large bowl, mix fruit with 1 cup sugar and brandy to taste.
• Step 3: Mix well and store in covered container at room temperature. Stir daily.
• Step 4: Every 3 weeks, add 1 more cup sugar and 1 more cup of fruit (can be any type of fruit, or a mix), as the contents diminsh. Stir well. Keeps indefinitely.