Yellow Plum Jam

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PRESENTATION

Yellow plum jam brings a bit of Italian summer right into your kitchen, no matter the time of year. And listen, this yellow plum jam recipe is about keeping things super simple, like the home cooks in Italy have always done. Just three ingredients: juicy yellow plums, sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Sometimes, a pinch of cinnamon for that cozy aroma. The goal? Capture the sweet, sun-ripened flavor of golden plums before they're gone with the season. Seriously, folks in Emilia-Romagna or the countryside around Tuscany make this kind of homemade yellow plum jam to stretch summer into the colder months. It's common in Italian kitchens—jars lining shelves, house filled with that warm, fruity smell as the jam thickens.

Everyone in the family loves spreading this yellow plum jam on thick slices of rustic bread. Breakfast or a nostalgic snack? Pretty much. It’s also a classic filling for crostata, giving any simple tart base a touch of homemade comfort and a burst of bright, tangy fruit flavor. And you know what? Italian home cooks often swap in different fruits—like that peach and lavender version that’s just as aromatic—or play around with mirabelle or golden plums for a twist. But here's the deal: the heart of the yellow plum jam recipe is about patience and care, letting the fruit macerate and bubble until it hits that glossy, spoonable texture. It's really really satisfying, the sort of preserve that makes even plain toast taste special.

Whether you call it yellow plum preserves, jelly, or something else, this jam is a little reminder of those summer days and the sunny feeling of homemade food made with love. It's like a taste of Italy’s countryside, lovingly captured in a jar to enjoy all year round. And the sauce? Seriously good.

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INGREDIENTS
Ingredients for 3 jars of 8 oz jam
Plums 2.3 lbs (1050 g)
Sugar 1 ½ cup (300 g)
Lemon juice 2 ½ tbsp (40 g)
Preparation

How to prepare Yellow Plum Jam

To prepare the yellow plum jam, start by preparing the fruit: wash the plums, cut them in half with a knife 1, remove the stone 2 and cut them into quarters 3. Once pitted, the total weight of the plums will be about 2.2 lbs.

Add the sugar 4 and mix well 5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate 6 and let it macerate at room temperature for about an hour. While waiting for the fruit to macerate, you can proceed with the sterilization of jars and lids, as indicated in the Health Ministry guidelines at the end of the recipe.

After the maceration time, pour the plums with all their liquid into an aluminum pot with a double bottom and high sides and turn the heat to maximum 7. Once it reaches a boil, lower the heat to maintain a steady boil, but not too strong 8. Let it cook for about 45 minutes, stirring as little as possible until it reaches 226°F. Use a kitchen thermometer to measure the exact temperature 9.

After 45 minutes, remove from heat and add the juice of half a lemon 10 and mix 11. The jam should appear thick with some visible fruit pieces. At this point, you can start jarring in the sterilized jars, pouring the hot jam with a ladle 12.

Fill the jars leaving at least 0.4 inches of space from the lid 13; screw the sterilized lids on tightly but not excessively 14 and let cool 15. With the heat of the jam, a vacuum will be created, allowing the product to be preserved for a long time. Once the jars have cooled, check if the vacuum has occurred correctly: you can press the center of the lid, and if you don't hear the classic "click-clack," the vacuum will have occurred. Your yellow plum jam is ready to be enjoyed!

Storage

The yellow plum jam can be stored for about 3 months, provided the vacuum has occurred correctly and the jars are stored in a cool, dry place, away from light and heat sources. It is recommended to wait at least 2-3 weeks before consuming the jam. Once each jar is opened, store it in the refrigerator and consume it within 3-4 days at most.

Advice

At the end of cooking, you can add some dried cornflower petals: your yellow plum jam will have an even more special taste, color, and aroma!

IMPORTANT

Homemade preparation of preserves and jams can pose health risks. In a domestic environment, it is not possible to create the necessary conditions and measures to ensure the safety and suitability of food, which, on the contrary, industrial procedures are able to guarantee to prevent dangerous contamination. It is therefore important to strictly follow food safety instructions to reduce risks, but it must always be kept in mind that the same food safety as professionally produced preserves and jams can never be achieved. For the correct preparation of homemade preserves, we refer to the Health Ministry guidelines.

Curiosity

From a botanical point of view, there is no difference between plum and prune. In general, the fresh fruit is called a plum, while it is called a prune when dried. There are many varieties of plums that can have different colors, from purple to light green, passing through red and yellow. And it is the yellow plum that has earned a precious name: Drop of Gold.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.