Plums or Zwetschgen (Italian plums) grow just about anywhere and if you live anywhere in the countryside you dont ever have to buy any plums actually. Even if you dont have a tree in your garden, you can be sure to get tons of them from friends and neighbors every autumn.
And if you have lots of them this year as well, canning plums is really easy. Or make some delicious stewed plums or a nice Zwetschgenkuchen.
Pflaumenmus is a traditional kind of plum jam typical for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland. The main difference between this plum butter and regular jam is that Pflaumenmus contains less sugar and it is made without any gelling agents or preservatives.
There are several ways of cooking it, and they all have one thing in common: the “Mus” has to be cooked for several hours. Over the years, Ive tried all the methods I could find. And found the way that makes our favorite fruit butter. And not just our favorite. I make many jars of this jam every autumn, so lots of people get some as a present. They all say it is the best Pflaumenmus theyve had.
What’s the difference between plum butter and plum jam, you might be wondering? While jam is typically made of cooked fruit with the addition of pectin to make it somewhat gelatinous, fruit butter is basically a reduced fruit puree. Fruit butters are usually silkier, more spreadable, and use waaaay less sugar.
Ways of making plum butter
Oven method:
- The chopped plums are sprinkled with sugar and are baked for about 3 hours in the oven. Once cooked, add the spices and blend.
- One drawback for me: the plums release a lot of water and I managed to make a real mess of my oven twice.
Slow cooker:
- The fruit is cooked for up to 20 hours in the slow cooker until thickened and caramelized.
- It works well but my kitchen is rather small and having the slow cooker occupying an important surface for 20 hours makes me think twice before using this method.
Stovetop method:
- Works best for me.
- It also allows me to decide when to stop cooking the butter. And I do that sooner than other people because I prefer the fruitier, fresher version of the jam.
How to make Pflaumenmus?
- Wash and stone the fruit. Chop roughly. Place in a large, wide, and deep pot.
- Add ¼ cup water, not more than that as the fruit will release a lot of juice as well.
- Heat slowly and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the plums are completely soft and broken.
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Cook for another 10 minutes. The butter will start to bubble immediately and the bubbling will be quite violent during the first 5-6 minutes. It is better to cover the pot, leaving a small crack open, during this time. Once the bubbling has calmed down, remove the lid.
- Add the spices and the sugar and mix well.
- Continue cooking for another 30 minutes to 1 hour until the Pflaumenmus has thickened to your liking. If you like it to be more caramelized, you can even cook it for longer, a total time of 2-3 hours.
- Dont forget to stir well every 5 minutes or so, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot well.
- Ladle into clean jars leaving about 0.6 cm/ ¼ inch headspace. Clean the rims and close the jars.
- Can in a water bath canner or in a large pot for 10 minutes. Leave in the canner for further 5 minutes.
- Remove with a jar lifter and let cool completely and undisturbed on folded kitchen cloths.
The pot should be very large, wide and rather deep. The plums will release a lot of water and you dont want that overcooking.
Pflaumenmus will thicken, but it is not as thick as preserves thickened with pectin or other gelling agents. So, dont think anything is wrong with the jam if it is not stiff.
You can adjust the spice quantities according to your taste. You can add more for a spicier spread or you can leave them out completely, the results will still be delicious.
If you dont have a canner, you can still can the jars in a large pot. Place a folded kitchen cloth on the bottom of the pot and arrange the jars in it making sure that they dont touch each other. Cover with water and boil gently for 10 minutes. Leave for 5 minutes, remove and let cool on folded kitchen towels on the counter.
Plum butter | Video recipe
FAQ
What is the difference between jam and butter?
What is plum butter made of?
What is the difference between plum preserves and jam?
What is plum jam made of?
What is the difference between plum butter and plum jam?
What’s the difference between plum butter and plum jam, you might be wondering? While jam is typically made of cooked fruit with the addition of pectin to make it somewhat gelatinous, fruit butter is basically a reduced fruit puree. Fruit butters are usually silkier, more spreadable, and use waaaay less sugar.
Is prune a type of dried plum?
There are some types of plums in the world and it was from a French variety that the dried plum emerged. The plum has a firm pulp and a high sugar and acidity content, which allows the fruits to be dried with their cores intact, without fermentation. To produce prunes, they are left on the tree until they are fully ripe. Only then are they harvested and placed to dry between 15 and 24 hours under strictly controlled conditions. Prunes lose so much water in this process that to produce half a kilo of prunes, 1. 5 to 2 kilos of fresh prunes are needed. In the last stage, the plums are bathed in hot water to increase their moisture content and only then are they packaged for consumption.
What is plum butter?
Plum butter is a thick compote or plum puree that is made from boiled-down fresh plums and sugar. In Germany plum butter is known as ” Pflaumenmus ” – ” Pflaume ” is the general term for ” plums ” in German, although Pflaumenmus is usually made from Italian prune plums known in Germany as ” Zwetschge “.
Is fruit butter better than plum butter?
Fruit butters are usually silkier, more spreadable, and use waaaay less sugar. Plus, while time-consuming, they tend to be a bit easier and less finicky to make. If you want to, you can heat process the plum butter and it will keep longer, but chances are you’ll end up using it up pretty quickly anyway!