African Vanielje on Sep 30 2007 at 3:55 pm | Filed under: Uncategorized
- Take about a pound of ripe but firm plums and cut a small cross in the bottom of each fruit (opposite the stem end)
- Cover with boiling water and allow to stand for several minutes, until the skin starts to split
- Drain (reserving the water) and cover in fresh cold water, which will encourage the skins to split further
- Peel the skins off and reserve the fruit.
- Make a simple syrup with 2 cups of organic sugar and 1 cup of the plum water
- Heat gently until the sugar dissolves and then boil until slightly syruppy
- Add the plums and top up with half a bottle of red wine or port, a piece of star anise, some whole cloves and some orange or lemon zest.
- Poach the fruits gently until soft then remove with a slotted spoon.
- Return the syrup to the boil and reduce until a medium thick syrup
- Put the fruit in sterilized jars and top with the hot syrup.
- Seal and cool, then store in the fridge for several weeks.
- Bottle any remaining syrup to use for flavouring yoghurts, icecreams, fruit salads and for pouring over cakes or pancakes
