Mirabelle Plum Jam

I love this recipe from David Lebovitz.  I made his Red Plum & Strawberry Jam last year, but didn't get around to blogging about it (I think I didn't get a chance to take pics, but maybe they're around somewhere.  If so, I'll post that recipe too).

Anyway, I first made this with just regular yellow plums from my wild yard.  But then, I realized that we have a plum tree that I'm pretty sure is a Mirabelle plum tree!  I made the jam again with those plums and it was even better than the regular yellows.  It tastes honeyed.  I added vanilla and I loved that addition.  I made extra and put it in the freezer, so I hope it freezes well.

Note: this recipe also works with regular yellow plums.

David Lebovitz's Mirabelle Plum Jam
adapted from David Lebovitz

1 pound (450g) mirabelle plums
2/3 cups (130g) sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
optional: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kirsch, eau-de-vie or vanilla extract

1. Pit the mirabelles. I found the best way to do this was use my cherry pitter.  My plums were small enough.  After pitting, I cut each one in half.

2. Put the pitted plums in a non-reactive saucepan. Add enough water so it’s about 1/4-inch (a scant 1cm) deep in the pan. Cover and cook over medium heat, until the mirabelles are cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. (At this point, you can choose to blend some of the mixture up with an immersion blender.  I did this with one batch, and left one batch "whole".  If you don't blend, it's still very good and more like preserves, as it's very chunky.  Both ways are good, though.)

3. Add the sugar and lemon juice and continue to cook the mirabelles over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid looks syrupy and thick. If you want to check it for doneness, you can turn it off and put a dab on a chilled plate in the freezer and check it in a few minutes, when it’s cold: if it wrinkles when you nudge it, it’s done. If using a candy thermometer, the jam will set at around 218-220ºF (103-104ºC). (I found mine set around 210-212.)

4. Remove from heat, add the kirsch, eau-de-vie or vanilla, if using, and balance the flavor with a little bit more lemon juice, if desired. (When cool enough to taste.) Pour the jam into a clean jar, cover, and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Storage: The jam will keep in the refrigerator for at least two weeks. (I stuck one jar in the freezer, but haven't pulled it out yet to see how well it freezes.)

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