Handbook of practical cookery

Pick the stalks from the plums, and rub them in a damp towel. Place in a preserving-pan the sugar, pour over the water, stir till boiling, then add the plums. Stir all again till boiling, skim well, and boil quickly for thirty minutes. Draw the pan on one side, and allow the jam to cool ten minutes before putting it in the pots. Apricot Marmalade. — Four pounds of apricots, three pounds and one-half of lump sugar. Remove as thinly as possible the skins from the apricots, split them open, remove the stones. Pound now in a mortar the sugar, place the apricots in a large basin, sprinkle over the sugar, and allow them to stand for twelve hours. Break the stones, remove the kernels, place the kernels in a basin, pour over enough boiling water to cover them, and remove the thin skin. At the end of twelve hours place the apricots and sugar in a preserving-pan, and stir them very gently over a clear fire till boiling. Add the kernels, skim well, and simmer all very slowly for three quarters of an hour. As the pieces of apricot get clear, remove them with a skewer and place them in small jars. Fill up the jars with the kernels and syrup ; cut some pieces of tissue paper a little larger than the tops of the jars, brush them over with white of egg, and cover the jars with them. Damson Jam.— Six pounds of damsons, six pounds of lump sugar. Pick the damsons from the stalks, throw aside any that are at all damaged, place alternate layers of the sugar and damsons in a large preserving-pan, place the pan over a slow fire, and begin at once to stir gently. Continue stirring, and as the scum rises remove it. When quite boiling draw the pan on one side, and allow all to simmer very slowly for one hour. Take the pan from the fire, and let the jam cool for ten minutes before putting it in the pots. DAMSON CHEESE — MARMALADE — CITRONELL. 253 Damson Cheese.— Four pounds sugar, five pounds damsons, one gill cold water. Pick the damsons over, remove all damaged ones, place in a preserving-pan the water and damsons, stir gently till boiling, and allow all to simmer slowly for one hour. Place then a coarse wire sieve over a large basin, and with the back of a wooden spoon rub the damsons through the sieve. Weigh out four pounds of the pulp, place it in a preservingpan, add the sugar, place the pan over a gentle fire, and stir the contents slowly until boiling. Draw the pan on one side, and allow the damsons to simmer slowly for two hours. Then place the pan over the fire again, and let them boil quickly for half an hour longer, continuing stirring all the time. Marmalade.— Six oranges, five quarts cold water, five pounds lump sugar, two lemons. Wash the oranges well in cold water, and if necessary scrub them well with a brush. With a very sharp knife slice them very very thinly. Remove the seeds and place the oranges in a large basin, pour over them the water, and allow them to stand for twenty-four hours. Pour then the oranges and water into a preserving-pan, place the pan over the fire, and stir the contents until boiling. Draw the pan on one side, and allow the oranges and water to boil for two hours; add then the sugar and juice of lemons, stir again till boiling, skim well, and boil slowly half an hour longer.