SUGAR PLUMS RECIPES & INFORMATION

SUGAR PLUM RECIPES

1 cup raisins
1 cup bite-size pitted prunes
1 cup dates
1 cup currants
1 cup candied cherries, dried cherries, or dried cranberries
1 cup walnuts
1/2 to 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
granulated sugar

Using a meat grinder or a food processor,
grind the fruit and nuts and mix well.
Work into the mixture as much confectioners' sugar as it takes to form 1-inch balls.
Roll in granulated sugar, then place on a rack to dry for 24 hours.

*For crunchy Sugarplums, preheat oven to 350 degrees, place Sugarplums on cookie sheet,
Bake 15 minutes, remove from oven and cool for 15 to 30 minutes.




The following are some Sugarplum definitions passed down through the years :
sugar coated coriander
plum compote with chocolate coating
a small round or oval piece of sugary candy
plums preserved in sugar
an actual fruit, called the sugarplum
small confections, often consisting of fruit such as dried cherries and apricots,
surrounded by fondant.


Sugarplum "trees" were also a big hit in Victorian England. Small cones were pierced with toothpick laden sugarplums to create a vision of a tree flowing with sugarplums.


The idea of sugarplums have been around for sometime now,

dating back to at least 16th century England where a

sugarplum cookery quote called for cooks to:

"Take your apricocks or pearplums, & let them boile one walme in as much clarified sugar as will cover them" and then "let your fruits boile leysurelie 3 or 4 walmes,

then take them foorth of the syrup"
*cookery quotes courtesy of Elinor Fettiplace's Receipt Book
dated 1604








SUGARPLUMS
recipe:courtesy of kid chef

Ingredients
2 cups whole almonds -- toasted, chopped fine,
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1 cup dried black mission figs, finely chopped


Directions:
Combine honey with spices.
Stir into chopped fruit and nuts that have been
processed in a food processor.
roll into balls.
roll in powdered sugar.


about 2 dozen sugarplums