Plum jam

Ingredients

1 ½ kgs	Plums, red-fleshed (Main)
¼	Lemons, juice of
1 1/8 kgs	Sugar
100 ml	Water, may need up to 200ml depending on juiciness of plums

Directions

1. Halve plums over a large saucepan. Remove stones and tap 6-8 of them open using a hammer. Extract the kernels and wrap them in a muslin parcel, tied with enough string to tie on to the pan handle. Add water to pan too.
2. Simmer fruit very gently until skins and pulp have broken down (up to 1 hour, depending on fruit). Stir frequently to prevent fruit from sticking. Add lemon juice.
3. Heat sugar in 140C oven for 10-15 minutes. Add to pan. Bring to boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring often and skimming a little, before testing on a chilled saucer to see if set. Keep boiling for 5 minute periods until surface of test crinkles after 60 seconds in fridge.
4. Allow jam to settle in pan for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove muslin and place clean dry jars in the cooling oven. Skim jam again. Bottle and seal.