Despite its name, plum butter is not a type of butter at all. It usually doesn’t have any milk, butter, or other dairy products in it. Instead, it’s a plum-based sweet and thick spread. It has a texture that is somewhere between smooth soft butter and gelatinous jelly or jam. Plum butter is typically served as a spread on bread or as a condiment to accompany meats and other dishes.
Fruit spreads can be made at home with almost any type of fruit or purchased at most supermarkets. Fresh plums are cooked in a small amount of water until they are easily mashed to make plum butter. Short or long cooking times are acceptable as long as the fruit and juice are reduced to a fairly thick paste. Pureeing the fruit with a blender or other appliance may help the spread have a smoother texture.
When cooking with plums, the fruit is usually peeled first. Dip the plums in boiling water for about a minute before making plum butter or most other plum dishes to make peeling easier. The skins should come off easily after the boiling water bath, and you may not even need a knife to remove them. Before cooking, the pit or stone inside the plum should also be removed.
Sugar is commonly used for both its sweetness and thickening properties. Spices and seasonings can also be added, with vanilla and citrus juices like lemon, orange, and lime being the most popular. Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger are used in some recipes for spiced plum butter to enhance the sweetness and plum flavor.
Plum butter is made using the same general method as plum jam and jelly, plum preserves, and other fruit-based recipes. Pectin is commonly used in jam and jelly to give the spread a gelatin-like texture. Plum preserves may also call for pectin, and chunks of plum rather than a completely smooth texture are common. Plum butter and similar recipes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks or frozen for up to a year. Plum butter that has been properly canned can be kept in the pantry for up to a year, but it will taste and texture best if used within six months.