Plum Butter (German Pflaumenmus)

In Southern Germany, Plum Butter or Plum Compôte is called Pflaumenmus and you can readily find it in any grocery store next to the jams and marmalades. It is traditionally served with Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes) and apple sauce (Apfelmus) or Pflaumenmus. It is also used as a filling for the Swabian dish, Dampfnudeln: Sweet yeast dumplings filled with fruit and served drizzled with brown butter and hot vanilla custard. I would imagine plum butter or something similar is made wherever plums grow, but for me it will always be associated with Germany. This version is for the slow cooker but in Germany, plum butter is most commonly made by baking it in the oven in a heavy pot with the lid closed, usually around 350 F for 2-3 hours. The oven method produces a little different texture, a slightly more jam-like consistency versus the consistency of apple butter. I've made it both ways and both are excellent. For the sake of convenience I usually use the slow cooker. I also like the deeper caramelization that takes place through the lengthy slow cooking process. Italian plums (aka, European plums) are used for plum butter in Germany. Unlike all other varieties of plums, Italian plums are especially suitable for cooking and develop a nice, complex flavour in the process. Their season is very short, usually September through early October, so take advantage of them while you can.

6 lb Italian plums, halved and pits removed
4 cups sugar or combination of white and brown sugar
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves

Place the plums in the slow cooker. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Cook either on LOW for at least 10 hours or on HIGH for at least 4 hours until the plums are very soft.

Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender, purée and return to the slow cooker) to purée the plum butter until smooth. If you prefer it a little chunky, blend until the desired texture is achieved.

Continue to simmer the plum butter, this time with the lid opened, until the plum butter is reduced in volume to a spreadable texture, approximately 5-6 more hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH. (Note: The longer you simmer the plum butter the more deeply caramelized it will be. If you're going to simmer it for a much longer time, I recommend doing so on LOW to prevent burning. I'll often simmer it with the lid closed for up to 20 hours and then open the lid, purée it, and simmer for another 5-6 hours until thickened.) Once it's reached the desired consistency, taste it. You can add more sugar at this point if you prefer and let it simmer until the sugar is dissolved.

Spread this on toast, bagels, muffins, incorporate it into your favourite BBQ sauce or savoury chicken/pork glaze.

For Canning: Pour the hot plum butter into sterilized jars leaving ¼" headspace. Wipe the rim and secure the lids. Boil in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove the jars and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours before transferring them to a cool, dark place for long-term storage. Will keep opened in the fridge for up to 2 months.

Makes approximately 4-5 pints depending on how long you cook and reduce the plum butter.

Nutrition:
Serving: 1 Tbsp., Calories: 45kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Potassium: 44mg, Sugar: 11g