Title: Mrs. Beeton's Damson Cheese
Categories: Jam
Yield: 3 .2 kg

2 3/4	kg	Ripe damsons
250	ml	Water sugar (see recipe) glycerin for jars

Remove the stalks and wash the fruit. Put into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, flameproof casserole or (traditionally) an ovenproof earthenware jar. Add the water, cover closely, and either simmer or bake for several hours until the fruit is very tender. (Bake in a very cool oven at 110-120 c, gas 1/4 - 1/2) Drain, reserving the juice. Sieve the fruit, and weigh the pulp (there should be about 2.3 kg). Put into an uncovered pan with a little of the drained juice, and boil gently until very thick. Add 350 to 450g sugar per 450g pulped fruit and continue cooking, stirring all the time, until the cheese leaves the sides of the pan clean, and a spoon drawn across the bottom of the pan leaves a clean line. Turn at once into small heated jars without shoulders, smeared with glycerine inside; tap the jars on the table-top two or three times while filling to knock out air-holes. Cover while still hot, cool, then label.

Store for several weeks, then use like jam. For a traditional stiff cheese, store for at least a year, then turn out, slice and serve with plain ginerbread, butter, and cheshire or lancashire cheese.

cooking time 1 hour (approx.) From: Kathryn Cone Date: 08 Jun 97 Home Cooking Ä

previous

next