Stewed Pruneaux de Tours, or Tours Dried Plums

Modern cookery for private families · Acton, Eliza · 1845
Source
Modern cookery for private families
Status
success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe
No
Ingredients (6)
For the compote
Instructions (6)
  1. Stew the dried plums until tender in equal parts of water and light red wine of the country.
  2. Add about four ounces of sugar to the pound of fruit.
  3. When port wine is used, a smaller proportion of it will suffice.
  4. Do not add the sugar until the fruit is at least half-done, as it will not soften easily in syrup.
  5. If using common French plums, stew them in the same way with or without wine.
  6. A little experience will teach the cook the exact quantity of liquid and sugar required.
Original Text
STEWED PRUNEAUX DE TOURS, OR TOURS DRIED PLUMS. These plums, which resemble in form small dried Norfolk biffins, make a delicious compôte: they are also excellent served dry. In France they are stewed until tender in equal parts of water, and of the light red wine of the country, with about four ounces of sugar to the pound of fruit: when port wine is used for them a smaller proportion of it will suffice. The sugar should not be added in stewing any dried fruits until they are at least half-done, as they will not soften by any means so easily in syrup as in unsweetened liquid. Dried plums, 1 lb.; water, 1/2 pint, and light claret, 1/2 pint, or water, 1/4 pint, and port wine, 1/4 pint: 1-1/2 hour. Sugar, 4 oz.: 2 hours, or more. Obs.—Common French plums are stewed in the same way with or without wine. A little experience will teach the cook the exact quantity of liquid and of sugar which they require.
Notes