PLUM BUTTER

Plum Butter image

Yield Makes 4 or 5 (1/2-pint) jars

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
4 lb ripe plums, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Special Equipment
5 (1/2-pint) canning jars with lids and screw bands; a food mill fitted with fine disk

Steps:

Sterilize jars and lids .
Freeze several small plates to use for testing butter.
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot. Add pod and stir in remaining ingredients. Slowly bring to a rolling boil over moderate heat (this will take about 15 minutes), stirring frequently. Boil, uncovered, stirring frequently, until plums are tender, about 5 minutes.
Discard pod. Purée plums with liquid in batches in food mill set over a bowl. Transfer purée to pot and simmer over low heat, stirring and scraping bottom of pan frequently, until very thick, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (To test for doneness, drop a spoonful of plum butter on a chilled plate, then tilt; the mixture should not be runny. It should be about as thick as jam.)
Drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel 1 minute, then invert. Ladle plum butter into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top, then run a thin knife between plum butter and jar to eliminate air bubbles.
Seal, process, and store filled jars , boiling plum butter in jars 10 minutes.
Let plum butter stand in jars at least 1 day for flavors to develop.