After making use of some of the plum crop in our garden, I needed to find something to make with the damsons.

We inherited two mature damson trees – both about 20 foot tall. This autumn, they’ve both been laden with fruit, some we gave away, some we couldn’t reach to harvest. We kept about 5 kilos of fruit for ourselves.

I found lots of recipes for jam and jelly – however, it was a Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall recipe for damson cheese that I fancied trying. There are only 2 ingredients; damsons and sugar – and you don’t need to undertake the time-consuming task of de-stoning the fruit either.

The damson cheese mixture sat bubbling away on top of the simmering hob of our new Esse for a couple of hours until it resembled a thick chocolate sauce. All it needed was the occasional stir to make sure it didn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. I could get on with other little jobs while it did its thing.

Like jam and jelly, damson cheese keeps for months once wrapped and refrigerated. Have it as a component on your cheeseboard – it’s lovely with a ripe brie. It’s also a great accompaniment to hot & cold meats.

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Home-made damson cheese

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall

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Course Condiment

Cuisine British

Ingredients

  

• 5 kg damsons washed
• 2 kg granulated sugar approx.

Instructions

 

• Put the damsons in a large preserving pan, add a couple of tablespoons of water and bring slowly to a simmer, stirring as the fruit begins to release its juices. Leave to simmer until completely soft
• Tip the contents of the pan into a sieve and rub it through to remove the stones and skin, leaving you with a smooth damson purée
• Measure the purée by volume. For every 500ml, add 350g sugar
• Combine in a large, heavy-based pan bringing it to a simmer over a low heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then cook gently, stirring regularly so it doesn't catch, until reduced to a thick purée. It's ready when you drag the spoon across the bottom of the pan and the base stays clearly visible for a second or two. This can take up to an hour of gentle, popping simmering and stirring
• Pour the 'cheese' into very lightly-oiled, shallow containers and leave to cool and set

It will keep almost indefinitely in the fridge. Serve in slices with bread and cheese

Keyword baked cheesecake, damsons, fruit