what to do with 12lb of damsons?

i went scrumping today and came home with 12lbs of beautiful damsons (a type of wild plum). any ideas how i put them to best use? so far i’ve come up with gin, jam, crumble and a fool.

Comments

[C]

You could do damson icecream, or damson sorbet. I made roast plum sorbet last year from a Hugh F-W recipe and have just posted about it. I'd recommend not using the online quantities, but using the quantities published in his book 'Everyday', as discussed in my post!

I'm not trying to push my blog at all, but it is the most amazing sorbet, and I can just imagine what a stunning colour it would be with damsons! I really hope you try it!

The online version of the recipe (with twice the fruit of the book version) is here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/aug/07/plum-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall

[Nikki]

12lbs - I'm so jealous. damson wine is delicious abby, well worth a try. and i reckon damson vodka beats gin, you get the true taste of damson. oh and when you finish with the damsons in gin/vodka put them into some sherry (I'm not a sherry fan but damson sherry is amazing).

[Sara]

Ooh, do post about the damson crumble please! I've been thinking about making one and I'd love a good recipe, or failing that some pointers on what not to do! :)

[abby]

thank you for the ideas - ice cream is made and in the freezer and i now have several jars of jam. there's also puree for fools and another batch of ice cream.

i'll be doing the vodka and gin later this week when i've picked up some jars to store them in (the fruit is in the freeezer). am loving the fact that i can then use the boozy fruit to make a sherry version - thanks nikki.

c - i tried thats sorbet and was disappointed (i love plums so it was doubly bad) - i wonder if it was down to the fruit quantities being off.

sara - the crumble recipe i'd use is a nigel slater damson and almond one that i found online - perhaps try that?

[Zia]

I make damson jelly most years and it's delicious - I love the texture compared to jam and it's also a beautiful midnight purple colour. We eat it on scones, in sandwiches, to accompany meat and cheese and I've even spread it in the middle of a Victoria sponge when I found I'd run out of strawberry jam. (Also, do you have to stone each damson when you make the jam - because there's no stoning needed for jelly?)

[abby]

hi zia - i boiled the damsons whole before adding the suagr which meant i could easily pick out the stones (i like a bit of texture so i threw the skins back in).

is destoning not necessary for jelly as everything drips through a jelly bag?

[C]

Hi Abby, I'm really, really sorry you weren't impressed with the sorbet recipe, I honestly really enjoyed it.

The original quantities from H F-W's book 'Everyday' are as follows: 1kg plums, halved and stoned, 2 vanilla pods, 100g caster sugar, or more, depending on the tartness of the plums. The rest of the instructions are exactly as online, in the recipe I linked to.

I don't know how that compares to what you did? Again, I'm really sorry to have recommended a recipe that turned out to be a dud for you.

[abby]

don't worry c - having looked at your blog (it won't let me comment for some reason) i think the half-quantity of fruit would have made the difference which is probably why yours was stunning and mine mediocre. i rescued it by mixing it with a vodka & pear sorbet i'd made so all was not lost ;)

i'll try it again with your quantities, when i can bring myself to deal with plums, damsons or similar again!

[sharon]

Has anyone got an easy recipe for Damson wine and damson cheese?