twenty pounds of overripe Italian prunes

[grasswire]

Oboy. What to do with them? They were delivered by a kind friend who knows we like to preserve fruits. But they are way too ripe for jam or canning.

I'm thinking plum butter, perhaps. Although I'm probably the only one in the family who will eat that.

Any other ideas?

[Warpy]

1. Got pigs?

Seriously, if they're overripe, you're pretty much limited to jams, jellies and chutneys.

If you've got a few that are just ripe, you can consider other options like tarts and sherbets.

[grasswire]

2. I don't think jams will work, either...

...as the recipe calls for "chopping" the plums and they are really too soft to chop.

I did find a classic czech traditional recipe for a boiled-down plum filling used in baking. But I'm not sure I want to stir and stir and stir as it requires.

[The empressof all]

3. I think that a plum butter or filling would be best here

Throw the mess in the crock pot with some sugar. I'd try to get the skins off first though. If you can't put it through a food mill at the end to make it smooth.

[spindrifter]

4. What about fruit leather?

Admittedly, I have never made it, but it seems that might be a possibility.

[The empressof all]

5. That's a good idea!

Puree those plums with some sugar and if you don't have a dehydrator use a parchment lined lipped cookie sheet (jelly-roll pan). Spread it very thin and stick it in your oven at the lowest setting.