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.
Boil again
The next day, boil it again for about 10 minutes with the blanched kernels from the stones.
Jar and store
Carefully place the fruit into jars and pour the syrup over it.
When cold, cover the jars tightly to exclude air.
Clarify
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
- Provide the fruit itself, which gives the preserve its body, flavour and natural pectin.
- Loaf sugar
- Sweetens the preserve and thickens the syrup while helping the fruit keep.
The step that matters
Let it simmer gently until nearly tender. Vigorous boiling breaks the fruit apart and toughens its skin. A gentle simmer softens the flesh while keeping the greengages whole and the syrup clear.
“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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