Why must the plums be pre-cooked, and at what temperature?

The plums are heated slowly to 65–75 °C in an open pot before being jarred. They cannot take a higher temperature. The recipe is clear that the plums should always be pre-cooked, whether the skin is kept or removed.

How do I treat the skin?

If you want to keep the skin, prick the plums lightly — set some needles into a cork and prick with it. If you want to remove the skin, dip the plums for a moment in boiling water.

What is the ratio in the syrup, and how are the jars sterilized?

The syrup is made from 700 g sugar to 1 liter of water. Right after heating, the plums are jarred, the syrup poured over and everything cooled — all the plums must lie under the syrup. The jars are sterilized at 80 °C for 20 minutes.

Where does the recipe come from?

From Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914), page 595.

Plums, Canned

Canned plums (Erken 1914): the plums are pricked or peeled, pre-heated slowly to 65–75 °C in an open pan, jarred at once with a syrup of 700 g sugar per liter of water and sterilized 20 minutes at 80 °C.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 595 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

The recipe begins at the bottom of page 595 and continues on page 596. Erken emphasizes gentle pre-heating: plums cannot take a temperature higher than 65–75 °C (165 °F) without collapsing. The trick of setting needles into a cork is a practical household method for pricking the fruit evenly.

How to make it

1
Make the syrup
Bring a syrup of 700 g sugar per liter of water to a boil.
2
Prepare the plums
If you want to keep the skin, prick the plums — set needles into a cork and prick lightly. If you want to remove the skin, dip the plums for a moment in boiling water.
3
Pre-cook
Always pre-cook the plums in an open pan: heat them slowly to 65–75 °C (165 °F), no higher, for the plums cannot take it.
4
Fill the jars
Place the plums in the jars right after pre-heating, pour the syrup over and cool. All the plums must lie under the syrup.
5
Sterilize
Sterilize the jars at 80 °C (175 °F) for 20 minutes.

Changes from the original

The syrup quantity is rendered as 700 g sugar per liter of water. Temperature figures are kept in Celsius, and the steps are numbered. "Ophetningen" (the heating) is modernized to the pre-heating.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From1914 1949 Modernised

To1914 1949 Modernised

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Frequently asked questions

Why must the plums be pre-cooked, and at what temperature?: The plums are heated slowly to 65–75 °C in an open pot before being jarred. They cannot take a higher temperature. The recipe is clear that the plums should always be pre-cooked, whether the skin is kept or removed.
How do I treat the skin?: If you want to keep the skin, prick the plums lightly — set some needles into a cork and prick with it. If you want to remove the skin, dip the plums for a moment in boiling water.
What is the ratio in the syrup, and how are the jars sterilized?: The syrup is made from 700 g sugar to 1 liter of water. Right after heating, the plums are jarred, the syrup poured over and everything cooled — all the plums must lie under the syrup. The jars are sterilized at 80 °C for 20 minutes.
Where does the recipe come from?: From Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914), page 595.

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