Cherry plum jam

The well-known and very common plum in our state has a fairly close relative - cherry plum. Basically, these two species of plants differ in different colors of the fruits. If the plum skin is characterized by dark, almost purple tones, then the cherry plum fruits are yellow or pinkish.

Cherry plum is very actively cultivated in the southern regions, while in the northern latitudes this plant may not bear fruit at all. This feature of cherry plum is associated with its increased heat-loving and rather capricious disposition.

In culinary affairs, the use of cherry plum is extremely wide and diverse. Cherry plum is often consumed raw or baked. Dried fruits retain most of their beneficial properties and can be used as a natural medicinal product, as well as as dry fruit with excellent taste qualities. In addition, mature cherry plum fruits are used in the preparation of various types of canned foods - compote, povidl, marmalade, jam.

Ready-made cherry plum jam can be purchased today in grocery stores, but it will not be difficult to cook this berry treat at home. So, for homemade jam, fresh, not quite overripe fruits are selected from cherry plum (while the damaged ones are removed), which must be washed in cold water and dried. It is best to pour hot water over the cherry plum, thanks to which wax coating will come off the surface of the fruits, making it difficult for sugar syrup to penetrate inside.

Cherry plum is added to the prepared boiling syrup and the mass is boiled for about five minutes, in the process the formed foam is necessarily removed. Then the cherry plum jam cools down and is boiled again for a short time. This cooking method is necessary so that the fruits in the finished jam do not fall apart and turn into a puree-like mass. If uniform cherry plum jam is preferable, you can cook it in one go until the fruits are fully boiled.

Cherry plum jam has a delicate aroma, an attractive appearance and a refreshing sour-sweet taste. But not only the gastronomic qualities of this natural product are highly appreciated - cherry plum jam has a lot of useful properties. First of all, cherry plum includes a lot of natural sugars, acids of organic, pectin and tannins, as well as vitamins.

Substances contained in cherry plum jam are characterized by the presence of mild laxative and diuretic effects. It can be recommended for use in some gastrointestinal diseases, as well as in order to increase appetite. In addition, these fruits have anti-inflammatory and blood-cleansing effects.