When damsons are ripe in late summer and autumn, the harvest and supply are often particularly abundant. The question then quickly becomes: how can you use a lot of damsons before they soften or spoil? The good news: damsons are extremely versatile. They taste great in classic sweet dishes as well as in jam, compote, cake, or a spicy chutney. Many recipes can also be prepared in advance, canned, or frozen. Here you will find ten simple ideas to process fresh damsons sweetly, savory, and with as little waste as possible.
Why damsons are so easy to work with
Damsons have firm flesh, a pleasant acidity, and an intense aroma. When baking and cooking they usually hold their shape better than many other plum varieties.
They are suitable for, among other things:
- Baking
- Cooking
- Preserving
- Freezing
- Drying
- Enhancing sauces
- Preparing desserts
- Pairing with savory dishes
Ripe damsons can be recognized by their deep blue to violet skin. They should give slightly when pressed but not be mushy.
1. Classic damson dumplings
Damson dumplings are among the most popular recipes in Austrian cuisine. Depending on preference, they are made with potato dough, quark (curd cheese) dough, or choux pastry.
Ingredients for about 8 to 10 dumplings:
- 8 to 10 damsons
- 500 g potatoes or a prepared quark dough
- Flour as needed
- 1 egg
- a pinch of salt
- Breadcrumbs
- Butter
- Sugar and cinnamon
Preparation:
Wash and pit the damsons. Shape small portions from the dough, place a damson inside each, and seal carefully.
Let the dumplings cook in gently simmering salted water. Meanwhile, toast breadcrumbs in butter until golden brown and mix with sugar and cinnamon. Toss the finished dumplings in the mixture.
2. Sheet damson tart
A sheet damson tart is ideal when you want to process many fruits at once. The classic sheet cake works with yeast dough, batter, or a simple shortcrust pastry.
How it works:
Spread the prepared dough on a baking sheet. Halve and pit the damsons and place them close together on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, or streusel if desired.
Depending on the dough, the cake is baked at about 175 to 190 degrees Celsius until the base is cooked through and the fruit is soft.
Sheet damson tart tastes especially good fresh, but it can also be frozen in portions.
A good recipe of mine for a sheet damson tart can be found here:Recipe for a sheet cake with fruit
3. Make damson jam yourself
With homemade damson jam you can preserve the harvest for many months.
Basic recipe:
- 1 kg pitted damsons
- Gelling sugar according to package instructions
- Juice of half a lemon
- optional cinnamon, vanilla, or a little rum
Chop the damsons and mix with gelling sugar and lemon juice. Let sit briefly, then bring to a boil and cook vigorously according to package instructions. Pour the hot jam into clean, sterilized jars and seal immediately.
Popular variations:
- Damson and cinnamon
- Damson and apple
- Damson and vanilla
- Damson and chocolate
- Damson and rum
4. Making powidl
Powidl is a particularly thick cooked damson spread. Traditionally it is made without or with very little added sugar.
Preparation in the oven
Put the pitted damsons into a large roasting pan and slowly cook them at low temperature for several hours. Stir occasionally so nothing burns. The powidl is ready when it's dark, thick, and spreadable.
It goes particularly well with:
- Buchteln
- Pancakes
- Yeast dumplings
- Bread
- Fillings for pastries and sweet dishes
5. Damson compote
A quick damson compote is suitable as a dessert, a side dish, or a winter supply.
Ingredients:
- 500 g damsons
- 200 to 250 ml water
- Sugar to taste
- 1 cinnamon stick
- a few cloves
- optional a piece of lemon peel
Halve and pit the damsons. Simmer briefly with water, sugar, and spices until the fruit is soft but not completely falling apart. Damson compote tastes good with Kaiserschmarrn, semolina porridge, yogurt, or vanilla ice cream.
6. Damson crumble
A crumble is ideal when you need something quick. The fruit is baked with a crispy streusel topping.
Ingredients for the filling:
- 600 g plums
- some cinnamon
- 1 to 2 tbsp sugar
Ingredients for the streusel:
- 100 g flour
- 80 g butter
- 60 g sugar
- optional oats or chopped nuts
Place the damsons in a baking dish. Knead the ingredients for the crumble topping with your fingers and distribute over the fruit. Bake at about 180 degrees Celsius until the surface is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or plain yogurt.
7. Damson röster
Damson röster is a classic accompaniment to Kaiserschmarrn and other Austrian sweet dishes. Unlike compote, it is usually cooked with little or no water.
Preparation:
Slowly heat the pitted damsons with sugar, cinnamon, and a little lemon juice. The fruit will release enough juice. Let simmer briefly until a thick, fruity röster forms. The damsons may partially break down. Freshly cooked damson röster keeps for several days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, it can be poured hot into prepared jars.
A good recipe of mine can be found here:Recipe for a plum compote (Zwetschken-Röster)
8. Damsons wrapped in bacon
Damsons are not only suitable for sweet recipes. As damsons wrapped in bacon they become a quick starter or snack for guests.
Preparation:
Halve and pit fresh damsons. Wrap each half with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Fry in a pan or bake in the oven until the bacon is crispy.
They go particularly well with:
- Goat cheese
- Blue cheese
- Walnuts
- Arugula
- Balsamic vinegar
9. Damson chutney
A spicy damson chutney goes excellently with cheese, game, roasts, grilled dishes, or vegetarian dishes.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg plums
- 2 onions
- 150 ml apple cider vinegar
- 150 to 200 g brown sugar
- 1 small piece of ginger
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Pepper
- optional chili
Preparation:
Pit and chop the damsons. Finely dice the onions. Put all ingredients into a pot and slowly cook down over low heat. Stir regularly until a thick, jam-like consistency is reached. Pour hot into clean jars. The chutney gains flavor after a few days and is also a great homemade kitchen gift.
10. Freezing or drying damsons
There isn't always time to cook or bake. In this case damsons can easily be preserved.
Freezing damsons:
Wash, halve, and pit the fruit. Then pre-freeze them individually on a board or tray. Afterwards transfer to freezer bags or suitable containers. Pre-freezing prevents the fruit from sticking together as much so they can be removed in portions later.
Frozen damsons are suitable for:
- Cake
- Dumplings
- Compote
- Compote
- Smoothies
- Sauces
Drying damsons
Damsons can be dried in a dehydrator or at low temperature in the oven. For this, halve and pit the fruit. Dried damsons go well with muesli, snacks, cheese platters, or homemade energy balls.
Which spices go with damsons?
The aroma of damsons can be complemented with various spices and ingredients.
Particularly good choices are:
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Cloves
- Star anise
- Ginger
- Cardamom
- Lemon zest
- Orange peel
- Rum
- Red wine
- Walnuts
- Almonds
For savory recipes, pepper, chili, rosemary, and balsamic vinegar are also suitable.
How to store damsons properly
Fresh damsons should be stored unwashed in the refrigerator. It's best to wash them only shortly before use.
Very ripe fruit should be processed as quickly as possible. You can cut out bruises as long as the fruit hasn't molded or developed an unpleasant smell.
What to do with overripe damsons?
Very soft damsons are no longer ideal for cakes or dumplings, but can still be used well for:
- Jam
- Powidl
- Chutney
- Compote
- Compote
- Fruit sauce
- Smoothies
Moldy fruit should be discarded completely.
Frequently asked questions about processing damsons
Can you process damsons with the skin on?
Yes. The skin is used in most recipes. It contains a lot of flavor and softens when cooked or baked.
Do you have to blanch damsons before freezing them?
No. Washing, pitting, and pre-freezing is usually sufficient.
How long do frozen damsons keep?
At a consistently low freezing temperature they retain good quality for several months.
What is the difference between damsons and plums?
Damsons are usually more elongated, firmer, and come off the stone more easily. Plums are often rounder and juicier.
Which recipes are suitable for especially large quantities of damsons?
Sheet damson tart, jam, powidl, chutney, and compote are ideal for processing larger quantities.
Conclusion: Damsons can be used in many ways
If you want to use damsons, you have far more options than just cakes and dumplings. The fruit can be turned into jam, powidl, röster, compote or chutney, frozen, dried, or used in savory dishes.
Especially with a large harvest, it's worth combining several methods: process part fresh, cook some down, and freeze the rest. That way the intense damson flavor is preserved well beyond the season.
Read also:Â Recipe for a quark and plum cake with crumble
Photo by Sabine, meinhaushalt.at
