Damson Cheese
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a very slow oven”. The 300°F (150°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the fruit
Remove the stalks from the damsons and place them in a large jar or stew pot.
Cover tightly and cook in a slow oven at 300°F (150°C) until soft.
Rub the cooked fruit through a fine sieve to obtain the pulp.
Make the cheese
Measure the pulp and add 12 to 16 ounces of sugar for each pint, adjusting to taste.
Boil the mixture until most of the syrup evaporates and the pulp thickens, stirring frequently.
Pour into small jars, cover tightly, and store in a cool, dry place.
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
- Damsons
- Provide the fruit pulp that cooks down into the thick, spreadable body of the cheese.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the pulp and helps it thicken as the mixture boils down and sets.
The step that matters
Boiling the pulp until it thickens. Sugar and pulp must reduce until most of the liquid evaporates; stopping early leaves a runny spread, while sugar concentration and heat together help it set firm enough to hold its shape.
“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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