Renowned chef Radu Anton Roman left behind a plethora of recipes, including one for prune jam. This recipe is ideal for both children and diabetics, as it contains no sugar and its sweetness comes solely from ripe, juicy, and aromatic fruits.
Radu Anton Roman’s Prune Jam Recipe
If you’re longing for the delicious sugar-free prune jam from your grandmother’s time, you can confidently try Radu Anton Roman’s recipe. The late journalist, who was passionate about gastronomy, shared all his tricks in the book “Bucate, vinuri şi obiceiuri româneşti” (Romanian Foods, Wines, and Customs), published in 1998 by Paideia Publishing House.
Children and diabetics can also enjoy this treat, as it does not contain any added sweeteners. One of the key aspects is that the fruits must be very ripe, aromatic, and sweet.
Radu Anton Roman also revealed other secrets to make perfect prune jam. One of them involves the way it is prepared, specifically on a hot tile.
Furthermore, for an exceptional taste, apricot and damson plums’ pits can also be added. “Handle the fruits (wash them, remove the seeds), put them to boil in a thick-bottomed tingire, but not directly on the stove, rather on a hot tile, just until they start to bubble.”
“The apricot and damson plums’ pits (if you have them and want to add them) should be cracked and ground like rice, about a handful of kernels per kilogram of fruit,” revealed Radu Anton Roman in his book, as quoted by adevărul.ro.
When to Know the Jam is Ready
It is worth mentioning that the process of making delicious prune jam takes several hours. During this time, it should be stirred frequently to prevent it from sticking to the pot, and it is ready only when the paste becomes very thick.
“The fruits are stirred just until they come to a boil, but afterwards, they must be mixed often so they don’t stick. After the initial boils, it’s up to you if you want to strain the fruit paste through a sieve to get rid of the skins.”
“It must bind well, so boiling and stirring will take hours and hours until it becomes jam, meaning a paste in which the spoon barely moves,” according to Radu Anton Roman’s instructions.
Finally, the apricot and damson plum pits are added and stirred a few more times. The jam should be placed in preheated jars; otherwise, they may break.
