Recipe Manuscript

To Presarve Peare Plums Or Damsons

Name: To Presarve Peare Plums Or Damsons
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT8H
Yield: 10
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500 g pear plums or damsons (fresh, firm fruit); 500 g granulated sugar (or caster sugar); 200 ml water (approx., enough to dissolve half the sugar); Needle or skewer, sterilized (for pricking fruit)

1700

From the treasured pages of Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1700

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Presarve Peare Plums Or Damsons

"Take your Plumes prick them with a needle in 3 or 4 places then take there weight in suger take halfe ye suger put it in water set it one the fier let it boyle a littil scume it then put in ye plumes let them presarve very softly wipe the Dish that Covers them that the Dew fall not in ye Dish take the plumes from the sirrop & put in the other halfe of the suger boyle it a littill & power it over the plomes in the dish set them on the fier cover them Close they must be kept very hott all the first day & not boyle at all till nixt raise the dish & keep them till late at night next day turne them & keep them hot but not so hot as before so let them stand on coles till they will jelly you must stone them give them a slit on the sides if they Come near boyling they are spoyled"

Note on the Original Text

As common in 1700s manuscripts, the recipe is written as a flowing set of instructions with minimal punctuation and inconsistent spelling. It assumes prior culinary knowledge—no quantities are given besides 'equal weight' of fruit and sugar, and precise temperatures are replaced with cues like 'very softly' or 'if they Come near boyling they are spoyled.' Words like 'suger' (sugar), 'plumes' (plums), and 'boyle' (boil) reflect older English orthography. Such recipes were intended for experienced cooks accustomed to working intuitively, with an emphasis on observation and care rather than timing or exact temperature.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700 (1700)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1700

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the kitchen of the early 18th century, where this charming culinary manuscript tempts tastebuds with recipes and secrets from a bygone era. A delicious journey for both the curious cook and the history lover.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from an English household manuscript around 1700, a period when refined sugar was becoming more widely accessible in domestic kitchens. Such preserves allowed households to enjoy the vibrant flavor and sweetness of summer fruits throughout the year, showcasing both the skill and resourcefulness of home cooks in the age before refrigeration. Pear plums and damsons were prized for their flavor and their ability to gel into luscious preserves thanks to their natural pectin content. Recipes like this one emphasized careful handling and gentle heat to get a clear, jewel-like conserve—a sign of culinary mastery in its day.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the early 18th century, this preserve would have been made in heavy-bottomed copper or brass preserving pans set over a hearth fire, controlling temperature with embers or by moving pans further from the heat. Spoons for skimming, large china or stoneware dishes for resting the fruit, and linen or cloths for wiping covers would all be common. Glass or ceramic jars with parchment or bladder coverings would store the fruits once jellied.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

8 hrs

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 lb pear plums or damsons (fresh, firm fruit)
1 lb granulated sugar (or caster sugar)
7 fl oz (3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp) water (approx., enough to dissolve half the sugar)
Needle or skewer, sterilized (for pricking fruit)

Instructions

Begin by selecting fresh pear plums or damsons.
Prick each fruit 3-4 times gently with a sterilized needle or skewer.
Weigh your fruit, and measure out an equal weight of granulated sugar.
Take half the sugar and combine it with enough water to just cover the sugar in a saucepan—about 7 fl oz (3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp) per 1 lb sugar.
Bring this to a gentle boil and skim off any foam that rises.
Once the syrup is clear, carefully add the pricked plums, keeping the heat very low.
Allow the plums to gently poach in the syrup; do not let it boil vigorously.
Cover the pan, wiping the underside of the lid occasionally to prevent condensation from dripping onto the fruit.
Once the plums have softened slightly, lift them out of the syrup carefully.
Add the remaining sugar to the hot syrup and bring back to a gentle boil to dissolve.
Pour this syrup over the plums in a deep oven-safe dish.
Cover closely and set over low heat (or in an oven just above 140°F), keeping the fruit hot but not boiling all day.
Do not let the mixture reach boiling point, as boiling will spoil the preservation.
The next day, turn the plums and keep them hot again, but slightly cooler than before.
Let them sit on embers (or in the very low oven) until the syrup begins to gel into a jelly.
If desired, stone the plums by slitting the sides and gently removing the stones.
When the syrup has thickened, pot the preserved plums into sterilized jars.

Estimated Calories

220 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and pricking the plums will take around 15-20 minutes. Actual cooking and gently heating the fruit with syrup takes most of the day, as the fruit must never boil. This recipe yields a sweet preserve that's rich in sugar, so each serving has a higher calorie count.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.