Spiced Italian Plums - Canned

Spiced Italian Plums

Spiced Italian Plums - Canned

Ingredients

4 pounds of plums

4 cups water and 1 cup Brandy or Bourbon

2 c liquid honey

2 oranges, juice and zest

2 tsp Epicure Apple Pie Spice

6 2″ cinnamon sticks

15 whole cloves

6-7 500 ml , clean and hot canning jars with snap lids

DIRECTIONS

Using a large 20Qt canning stock pot. Fill to 12 qt with water and bring to a boil. Open your jars, fill with water and immerse in boiling water bath for 3 minutes to sterilize.

In a large pot combine water, Brandy if you are using it, honey, orange juice, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

While that's simmering, wash and pit the plums. Depending on size cut them either in half or in quarters. For very small plums you can leave them whole, but prick the skins so they don't burst during processing.

After the syrup has simmered for 10 minutes, add the plums. Bring the plums and syrup back to a boil, stirring frequently, and remove from heat.

To each pint jar add 3 cloves and 1 tsp or orange zest. Fish the cinnamon sticks out of the syrup and add one to each jar.

Now add the plums to the jar leaving 1/2" of headspace. Try to fit them in as tightly as possible without squishing them.

Cover the plums with the hot syrup. Remove the air bubbles and top off with syrup as needed, again, leaving 1/2" headspace.

Wipe the rim with a clean cloth dipped in vinegar, and adjust the lid. Fill and close remaining jars.

Process in a boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes for pints or quarts. Or process in a pressure canner for 10 minutes at 6 pounds pressure for pints or quarts. Whichever canner you use, don't forget to adjust the time or pressure according to the altitude chart.

After processing, allow the jars to cool, undisturbed, 12 to 24 hours. Check the seals before you put the jars in storage.