Have you got a glut of plums like me? This little condiment - plum paste - is easy to make and it goes so well with all manner of cheeses and meats. 

Ingredients: 

1.5kg whole fresh plums, washed (count them into the pot, I used 32 plums – see note) 

1 ¼ cups water 

½ cup sweet white wine or apple cider vinegar 

¼- ½ tsp ground cloves, depending on your taste 

Sugar, white or raw – likely to be about 600-750g 

Method: 

1. Cook plums with liquids and cloves until very soft and reduced a bit – about 20 minutes. Extract the same number of plum stones as you had plums. Mash or blend the pulp and weigh it. Add half its weight in sugar and return to the stove. Cook on a brisk simmer for 40 minutes or so, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

2. It’s ready when a teaspoonful is dropped on a cool saucer, left to cool, then a finger dragged through it leaves a clear stripe. Keep cooking until it reaches this stage.

3. Line a swiss roll tin or similar with baking paper or lightly oiled foil.

4. Pour paste into prepared tin and refrigerate overnight. It will be gorgeously glossy.

5. Cut into squares, wrap in baking paper and store in fridge.

6. Eat with cheese or meats.

Note: 

If your plums aren’t freestone count them into the pot, so you know how many stones you need to remove once they cook down. 

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