To Preserve Green Gages
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no cooking times; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.
Prepare the fruit
Choose the largest green gages and split them without peeling.
Sprinkle half of the measured sugar over the gages.
Blanch the kernels with a small sharp knife.
Make the syrup
The next day, pour the syrup from the fruit into a pot and boil it with the remaining sugar for 6 to 8 minutes over low heat.
Skim off any foam, then add the plums and kernels to the syrup.
Simmer until clear, removing any scum that rises.
Jar
Place the fruit into small jars and pour the syrup and kernels over them.
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
- Green gages
- Provide the fruit that softens and holds its shape in the sweet syrup.
- Sugar
- Draws water out of the fruit and preserves it while sweetening the syrup.
- Kernels
- Add a bitter, almond-like aroma to the syrup and fruit.
The step that matters
Simmering until clear. Scum and foam rise as the syrup heats, and skimming them keeps the syrup clear and stops impurities spoiling the preserve. Keep the heat gentle so the fruit stays whole rather than breaking down.
“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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