Pluot Pleasure

I attended a jam-making workshop today, hoping to learn more about the elusive set point and to receive inspiration.  I learned nothing about the former (I have a lot to learn, but this wasn't the place), and as I began to tune out the speaker and other attendees, I heard a woman ask a question about "pluots."  That was my inspiration.  Pluots are a cross between an apricot and a plum, and their ratio can vary.  They are called apriums when the apricot ratio is higher than plum.  They grow well in Central California, and September is the end of their season, so I suddenly wanted to get some fresh before it was too late.  They are absolutely delicious, and I havent eaten one all summer!

A quick trip to Whole Foods for organic pluots, sugar, and a few organic lemons, and I was ready to go. 

I chopped 6 cups of pluots into small chunks, leaving the skin on.  With pluots, plums, and apricots, you can always leave the skin on.  The skin adds to the color and flavor, and skipping this step makes your session much easier.  I measured out 4 cups of sugar.  The recipe I read required nearly twice that, but I really wanted to honor the flavor of the pluots, which sweeten when heated.  I then squeezed 1/4 cup of freshly-squeezed lemon juice.  Meanwhile, I sanitized jars in the dishwasher, and simmered the lids in hot water. 

I added the lemon juice to the pluots, poured the mixture in a pot and brought it to a boil.  The flesh was golden in color; however, the mixture turned to a vibrant red as the skins infused the liquid.  I cooked for 10 minutes to draw water out of the fruit, then stirred in the sugar and a pinch of cinammon.  I brought to a boil, stirring regularly, and at the height of the boil, I added one package of pectin.  My hope is that this batch is more gelatinous so that it is a perfect jam for spreading on toast and warm bread.

This entire process took about an hour.  I am so utterly excited about how beautiful my Pluot Pleasure turned out in the jar, and I can't wait to begin spreading the love.

Open Me