- Traditional plum jam requires patient frying for three days, which allows you to remove excess water, thickening the mass and extract deep, caramel taste.
- Prolonged cooking of plums leads to the caramelization of sugars and maillard reactions, which give the plum jam characteristic taste notes such as caramel, nuts, coffee and chocolate.
- Frying jam for three days, with breaks for rest and cooling of plums, ensures even evaporation of water, minimizes the risk of burning and allows for further chemical reactions that enrich aroma and taste.
- Choosing the right plums, preferably ripe Hungary, is crucial for obtaining the full taste and aroma of plum jam.
Perhaps you associate this taste and smell from your childhood. When grandmother fried plum jam for three days in a row, the sweet aroma of caramel rose at home. If you have impatiently immersed your finger in hot crumbling plums, you know that at first the mass was slightly sour, but with each day the jam gained sweets. New flavor notes began to appear, and the jam gained density. There was not a gram of sugar in the jam, and yet they were perfectly sweet. Are you wondering why? This is not only tradition, but also learning.
What plums should you choose for jam?
Traditional plum jam is best prepared from plums. The species of this domestic plum came to Poland around the 17th century probably through Hungary, hence the name. Although its place of origin would have to be sought in Asia. Today, a lot of its derivatives are available on the market, but the plum jam will have the most taste from ordinary Hungarian. Plums are small, but they have so much aroma that they could be divided by much larger friends and it would remain. Mature Hungarian are sweet, slightly tart, they can also be bitter at the skin, but all this means that the jam prepared from them are the most delicious. It is important to choose very ripe plums for preserves, those from which the Pestka leaves alone. It is best to fry them in a thick -bottomed pot.
How much plum jam to fry?
Traditional plum jam, those with a deep, caramel taste and dense consistency, require patience and time. You have to fry them for three days for about two hours. This is not only the tradition or whim of our grandmothers, but a process that has its scientific and culinary justification.
Why should plum jam need to be frying for three days?
The basic purpose of frying jam is to remove excess water from fruit. Prolonged cooking, day after day, allows for gradual evaporation of water, which leads to mass compaction. The less water, the denser and more durable the jam will be. Shorter cooking time would result in rare jam, susceptible to mold and less intense taste. In addition, during prolonged cooking, the caramelization of sugars contained in plums takes place. Carmelization is a reaction in which sugars decay under high temperature, creating compounds with a characteristic caramel taste and brown color. The longer we fry the jam, the more intense and deep their taste becomes. Carmelization gives plum jam a characteristic sweetness with a hint of bitterness, which perfectly balances plum acidity. In addition to caramelization, when frying plum jam, the maillard reaction occurs. It is a complex chemical reaction that occurs between amino acids (protein -building compounds) and reducing sugars (e.g. glucose and fructose) under the influence of high temperature. Maillard’s reaction is responsible for the formation of hundreds of different aromatic compounds that give plum jam a rich and complex taste. It is thanks to this reaction that the jam gains nut, coffee and chocolate notes. Three -day frying, in addition to taste, is also important for the durability of jam. Prolonged cooking kills microorganisms that could cause the product to spoil. In addition, low water content and high sugar content create an environment unfavorable for the development of bacteria and mold. Thanks to this, plum jam can be stored for a long time, maintaining their taste and aroma.
Why should frying jam need to be spread over three days?
You are probably wondering why you can’t fry the jam in one day? It is important that the plums rest, then there are further rections. Prolonged cooking on one stone increases the risk of burn jam. Cooking breaks also allow even evaporation of water from a whole bunch of plum jam. In addition, during cooling, further chemical reactions occur that affect aroma and taste.
See also:
