Preserved Greengages in Syrup
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the fruit
Boil the sugar and water together for about 10 minutes.
Divide the greengages, remove the stones, and add the fruit to the syrup.
Let it simmer gently until nearly tender.
Remove from heat and transfer to a large pan.
Second boil
The next day, boil it again for about 10 minutes with the blanched kernels from the stones.
Jar and seal
Carefully place the fruit into jars and pour the syrup over it.
When cold, cover the jars tightly to exclude air.
Skim the syrup well on both days of boiling for clarity.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Greengages
- Form the main fruit, softening into tender pieces during gentle simmering while keeping their shape.
- Loaf sugar
- Sweetens the fruit and, in a thick syrup, helps preserve it by drawing out water.
- Blanched kernels (in the method)
- Add a subtle almond-like aroma to the syrup as it boils with the fruit.
The step that matters
Let it simmer gently until nearly tender.. Vigorous boiling breaks the skins and splits the fruit, so gentle heat keeps the greengages whole and tender while the syrup slowly penetrates.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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