Damson Cheese Recipe: for savoury and sweet dishes. How to freeze damsons/plums.
Comments(52)
I opened the fridge door this morning and a small cloud of fruit flies floated out. What was going on? We had just given the fridge its quarterly spring clean. I investigated further and found a large bag of tiny damsons from Kent, that I’d bought on Saturday and now it was Tuesday. I washed and picked over the fruit. Only a few were turning. It’s surprising how quickly autumn fruit can go off, even in the fridge.
At this time of year, we are given a lot of fruit for preserves. Quite often we pop them in the freezer (how to freeze damsons? See tricks and tips below) until we have time to turn it into something delicious. This morning we decided to make damson cheese.
Damson cheese is not cheese as we know it, Jim. It’s sweet, full of flavour and so dense with fruit that it is sliced, just like cheese. It’s tasty and just that bit more unusual than jelly. I do regret the occasion when my mum gave me a jar ten years ago; I didn’t even taste it before it died a furry death in my fridge. Now I know better.
Traditionally, damson cheese is sliced and served with lamb or game. We eat it with cheese and quite often have it as a pud with a dollop of cream. A slice on an individual plate of hors d’oeuvres looks classy.
Damson cheese is well worth adding to your repertoire.
If you are going to make damson cheese, make sure that you have some straight sided glass jars, or earthenware pots to pour it into so that you can easily slide it out for slicing. (Why not plastic? See tips and tricks below).
Recipe for our excellent damson cheese:
Ingredients:
- 2lbs/917gms of damsons
- 1/4pt/150ml of water
- White granulated sugar (1lb to each 1pint of damson puree)
- A squeeze of lemon juice( approximately 1/2 tsp)
Method:
- Wash, pick over and discard bad fruit.
- Put damsons and water in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring gently to simmering point and simmer very gently until all fruit is soft and falling of the stones (this can take at least an hour or more). Keep an eye on it, stirring from time to time.
- When fruit is very soft, remove from the heat and cool before straining and pressing through a medium sieve. Discard the stones.
- Pour fruit into a measuring jug, note the quantity and return to the cleaned pan with the sugar and lemon juice.
- Stir over a gentle heat stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Bring to the boil and continue to boil briskly. Stir constantly, to stop the sugar burning on the base of the saucepan. Don’t skip this bit.
- The damson cheese it ready when the spoon makes a clear track mark on the bottom of the pan. Not a parting of the seas but but a glimpse of the bottom.
- Ladle into warmed, sterilised straight sided jars. (How do I sterilise jars and lids? See tricks and tips below).
- Allow to cool a little, whilst still warm, and cover with sterilised plastic lined screw topped lids or waxed disks and cellophane covers.
- Label when cold and store in a cool, dark, dry area. It should keep for a year.
- Once opened, keep in the fridge and eat within a month or so.
Tips and tricks:
How to freeze damsons (also how to freeze plums, blackberries, greengages, wild damsons and sloes):
- Pick over fruit and discard any bad fruit
- Wash fruit and dry in a large clean tea cloth
- Put fruit into labelled bags and freeze
Why can’t I use plastic (i.e. ice cream cartons, to store damson cheese in my fridge?
- A friend, who is a great chef, made a batch of damson cheese purely for personal consumption. The damson cheese was poured into a large clean, sterilised ice cream carton. Every now and then, a sizeable nugget of damson cheese was savoured. After a few months (once opened damson cheese keeps for ages in the fridge) the plastic tainted the damson cheese and the private cache had to be thrown out. Glass and earthenware are fine for damson cheese. After opening, store in the fridge.
How do I sterilise jars and lids?
- Sterilising the jars and lids:
We collect jars all year round for our jelly, chutney and jam making sessions. I try to soak off labels and store the clean jars and metal plastic coated screw-top lids in an accessible place. The sterilising method that we used is simple. Just before making the ‘cheese’, I quickly wash and rinse the jars and place them upside down in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 160c/140c for fan assisted. When the oven has reached the right temperature I turn off the heat. The jars will stay warm for quite a while. I only use plastic lined lids for preserves as the all-metal lids can go rusty. I boil these for five minutes in water to sterilise them. If I use Le Parfait jars, I do the same with the rubber rings.
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Hummm,,,,this isn’t working! Is it supposed to turn into a carmel, burnt smelling, glistening thing? Smells like burnt sugar. I have been stirring for hours. This isn’t a fun way to spend a day.
Hi Sandra,
I think that you have been stirring for too long. It’s easily done. The first time I made this I created the largest single boiled sweet ever made. Glimpsing the bottom of the pan is fleeting and the key.
It shouldn’t smell burnt.
hey sounds like a great idea. i have an ancient plum tree that produces masses of fruit (quite early this year!] and i own a new very heavy pan, so i shall get stirring! thankyou.
Hi Jane,
Damson cheese can be tricky. I do hope that yours is a success.
just made 19lbs bramble jelly (south downs)
10lbs green tomato chutney (given)
10lbs damson jam (garden)
Tomorrow will attempt your damson cheese with the 5lbs of damsons picked ready to use. The trees are still full of fruit have now run out of suitable jars…….has anyone tried to make jam or jelly with less sugar?
Wow wrinklyj, you must be exhausted. I’d love to hear how the damson cheese turns out for you.
I haven’t tried making jam or jelly with less sugar.
Have just made your damson cheese with a few lbs of damsons, from a friend. I have to get more damsons, it is the easiest recipe I have ever used. I couldn’t resist having a small taste of the scrapings from the pan…. delicious, just the right amount of tartness.
That’s great Mo, that our recipe turned out so well for you. Thanks so much for dropping by and leaving a comment.
I’ve just found lots of damson-like plums that have fallen off my tree. Unfortunately too high to pick from tree directly so I am grateful for your recipe which I shall try this evening. Wish me luck!!
LizO (I only add the ‘O’ because there are too many Liz’es in this world!)
I too have made two nice pots of damson cheese – this recipe must have been made for these pots i bought as i only got two and it was exactly the right amount to fill them both. Will be trying the cheese next weekend. Tried the remains in the pan and it tasted gorgeous
again thanks for the recipe!
Hi LizO,
I do hope that the damson cheese worked well for you.
Hi Debbie,
That’s great! I love damson cheese with a strong cheese (like Stilton) for lunch. Delicious.
Hi
))
I have one thing to say about Damson Cheese – YUMMEEEE!!
Thank you for your wonderful recipe
LizO
Hi LizO
Thanks for coming back. So pleased that you like our damson cheese recipe.
absolutely love the damson cheese process from picking the damsons – right through to stirring for what seemed like an hour……now beautifully encased in glass……..delightful colour I cant wait to share these with my friends and neighbours!
thanks and best wishes from nottinghamshire
susi
What an interesting site! I was looking for a hedge-row preserve that involved sloes/rose-hips/blackberrires that I have heard about and found your site. Damson cheese sounds great and we have just found some wild damsons near by, will give it a try. Thanks.
Hi there, we found some lovely wild damsons down the lane nearby today and, inspired by your website, set about making some Damson Cheese – it turned out really well! Following your advice regarding just being able to catch a fleeting glimpse of the bottom of the pan proved a ‘Top Tip’!! Set to perfection, thanks! We are looking forwards to the Quince season now.
Hi Susi,
I love the whole process too. Picking and cooking is far more rounded than buying and cooking. So pleased that the recipe worked for you.
Hi Rachel,
I’m delighted that you found our site. All these old recipes work and make great presents if you have a glut of fruit. Thanks for dropping by.
Hi Mildred,
Great that the recipe worked for you. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Much appreciated.
I was trying to make hedgerow jelly (mixed and various amounts of apple, sloes, rose hips, blackberies, elderberries) and have rather overset it – my daughter thinks it should be called ‘hedgerow bounce’ instead. Have I inadvertently made hedgerow cheese, do you think? It’d be nice to be able to still give it to people for Christmas!
Hi Sarah,
Hedgerow cheese has the fruit pulp in it and it’s own particular texture. I make fruit cheese from the strained fruit (left after extracting the juice for jelly).
However, all is not lost. You can re boil the jelly with some more juice to make a loser set. Instructions are here http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=514
Just finished making the Damson Cheese. The recipe was very easy to follow and the cheese came out fantastic. Will make this again. Does it work with blackberries?
This year I have had a bumper crop of apples, pears, damsons and blackberries – I’m looking for new ideas than the usual pie fillings and this worked out great!
I made damson jam using same recipe as yours for damson cheese, but jarred it when it reached jam set. I also use same recipe ratios for strawberries, raspberries etc. If I cook the damsons for as long as you do, does it make a different end product, apart from possibly being stiffer?
I have made damson cheese every year for the last 3 years – it makes excellent presents, as well as lifting any cheese board and occasionally enriching a winter gravy.
But this year I just haven’t found any wild damsons. Even the local market stall and orchard supplier are barren. Looks like I’ll have to turn to the crabapple and sloe for my fix this year…
Hi Bev
I’m not sure about blackberries. What about the pips. I’d love to hear how you get on if you do try blackberry cheese.
Lucky you having loads of damsons. Ziltch in this neck of the woods.
Hello Robert
Damson cheese is a totally different animal from damson jam. The cheese is eaten with savouries – cheese, cold meats etc. It is sliced and has it’s own particular texture. Well worth making but quince cheese is slightly better.
Hello Pete
No damsons here too. As I said to Robert, why not try making quince cheese we have a recipe here and it’s the king of fruit cheese http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=467
I have kept all my damsons from making damson vodka, damson gin and damson rum. Can any one think of a reason why they could not be used to make cheese? The alcohol wil eveporate but the flavour may add a nice twist. Any thoughts?
Hi Pete,
Damsons typically have a year without fruit, every 3 years. the only good news is the following year tends to be a bumper crop.
had several damson trees in a previous garden. Now want to pick some fruits myelf. Where and when do I go? I live near the Lake District.
Also, to plant some damson myself. Any tips/choices?
Thank you.
Elaine
Hello Elaine,
When i live in penrith i would take a drive around the hedgerows near Ullswater and found Damson trees all over the place. It is a case of put your picking bags and stick in the car and go for a hunt. I usually recon the august bank holiday is the earliest to pick them, and would guess in the lakes you maybe about a fortnight behind us in Kent. As for Varieties to grow, i would visit a local garden centre and find out what they stock otherwise these people are really good and may do mail order. http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/
Best of luck
Last year there were hardly any plums or damsons as we had frost and wind when the flowers appeared. This year fruit is appearing on trees that I haven’t seen fruit before. Just made a big batch of plum chutney from the very small yellow plums we have in the garden. Am going to be making plum & damson jam, damson cheesde, damson and sloew gin very soon!
Hello Elaine
I think Duncan has answered your question!
Hi Duncan
Thanks for that. I know that damsons used to be one of the biggest fruit crops in The Lake District.
Sorry to have missed your comment in November – yes of course you could make cheese with the fruit. Or perhaps add some to fresh fruit now to make cheese.
Hello Anne
Yes it was the same for us last year. No sloes, very few plums and damsons. This year it’s a different story!
There appears to be an abundance of damsons this year so am in the process of making several jars of cheese & some jam but last year I make some damson gin in exactly the same way as sloe gin – very palatable from what i remember of it! hic
Dear All
For those of you who like making the various hedgerow liquers try the following:
Drum (Damson Rum)
1 lb Damsons
4oz Sugar
1 ltr Dark Rum
Damson Vodka – same as above but with Vodka
Dandy (Damson Brandy) again the same as the Drum but with Brandy
You can also make spiced versions by introducing cloves and cinimon and ginger to the bottle when making.
I have many more recipes but quite simply put you imagination is the only restraining factor. As we look set for a great picking this year, get out there, gather fruit and make exciting winter warmers!
Hello have just discovered a damson tree bottom of our garden, thought the fruit were huge sloes at first!? So pleased to find your website and am just going to pick them now and try your cheese recipe. Do you have one for damson jam?
Bon soir,Hi , I live in france and have a glut of damson, will try your recipes for ‘Dandy’ etc do you have a recipe for damson chutney as well, I have just made 6litres of courgette and lime relish which has a wow factor , also whiskey & ginger jam ( best eaten with cheese) happy cooking, Belinda
Belinda Bon Soir
) ) do you share?
I am very new to the idea of all this hedgerow bounty but would love to know how to make whiskey and ginger jam as we are huge cheese eaters (cheese not us
Please ignore last question – found receipe on site
Hi Ian
I’ve found a tiny supply of wild damsons this year and they are already soaking in gin!
Hello Duncan
Thank you so much for contributing all these ideas. Great stuff
Hi Jane
We have a damson jam recipe here
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=38
Hi Belinda
We have a good fruity damson chutney here
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=70 and our next post features an all fruit damson/wild plum chutney with tamarind. Watch this space.
Hi Toni G
I’m going to try that recipe too.
Hello fn
Glad you like the recipe ideas, i make a lot of different provenders from the hedgerows and fiels and of course from the veggie patch, and shareing those ideas is half the fun.
I did try the damson cheese last year using the damsons form damson gin and damson vodka, with a few sloes from the sloe gin. It was excellent and went down a treat at the end of season shoot dinner where it was served with a fine selection of english cheese – Perfect!
Hi all,
What containers are you using to store the damson cheese? I only have a selection of ordinary jam jars – will they do? Can’t quite visualise the straight sided jars or earthenware containers – do you have a picture?
serpentina
Hello Duncan
Love the idea of alcholic fruit cheese, I must give that a go.
Hi Serpentina
Flat sided jars are best as this ‘cheese’ is cut. But you could use jam jars at a pinch. There is a picture of the jars on this post
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=467
In fact I use this recipe/method for all my fruit cheese these days.
Hello Fn
Glad you like the damson cheese recipe idea. I hate wasting anything and thought this was a good way to use the fruit after making the liqure
Hi, this looks like a great recipe!
Just wondering, do you need to leave the damson cheese for any amount of time between making and eating (as with chutney) or is it okay to use fairly immediately (like with bramble jelly, for example).
Thanks,
Alice
Hi Duncan
Can’t wait to try this after Christmas.
Hello Alice
The damson cheese can be eaten immediately. Most of our chutney recipes can be eaten immediately too!
Hi Fn
Let me know what you think. I usually add just a glug of brandy or rum at the last moment, give it a stir and put it in the jars. It is great eaten as a small pudding with a dollop of brandy butter.
How did you get on with the Nastursium seeds, did you find some? I have managed to get two more jars on the go which is very exciting.
Oh Dear! I have just spent some considerable time making the damson cheese recipe but it’s all gone horribly wrong. All was going well until it started to smell different i.e.burnt. Trust me, I didn’t even get a glimpse of the bottom of the pan and was so careful with the instructions. Any suggestions as to where I may have gone wrong?
Is there any reason why I can’t make the cheese in a loaf tin and seal it over with tin foil if I want to eat it sooner rather than later?
I’ve just made this with the addition of a stick of cinnamon and half a dozen cloves. It’s so good I’ve rethought my plan of turning the rest of the damsons into jam. Thanks for the recipe.
Hello Duncan
I’ve had two forays into the garden and picked enough nasturtium seeds for half a jar but I do have two other areas to harvest. Fingers crossed.
Hi Hilary
The first time that I attempted damson cheese it all went horribly wrong and I made a vast boiled sweet.
Reading through the recipe again, I think that you have been misled by ‘draining through a sieve’. It should read draining and pressing through a sieve. Many apologies. The mixture should be quite thick before you add the sugar and only take about twenty minutes max to set.
Hello Anne N
Not having tried your method I can’t really advise. However if I was going to experiment I’d use a baking tray, pour the mixture in no more than 2 centimetres in depth and bake in a really low oven overnight.
Hi Sally
Love the additions
Glad that it worked well for you.
I just got given some damsons and have made this today (my first foray into any kind of jam making). If the lickings of the pan are anything to by – it is FAB! Can’t wait to try it properly
Thank you
Hello Nemone
Well done you starting with this recipe as it can be quite tricky.
Welcome to the world of jam making!
Hi, our neighbours gave us some damsons over the weekend, and I made a batch of Damson cheese today. I followed your recipe exactly, and it has turned out very well.
Your tip about when to stop heating was spot on.
Very many thanks,
White.
I found this blog recently, and have to say i love it!
The first recipe i have tried was damson cheese, but unfortunately working long hours in a busy city didn’t leave me much time to find the necessary equipment (damsons being one of them!), so i settled for plums, and it has turned out really well!
I must say the picture of your house looks lovely – one that i dream about owning when I’m a bit older, and i’d love to stay in the area (Cambridge/Newmarket at the moment)
Hello White
I’m sorry but I missed your comment when it came in. Great news that it turned out well.
Hi Variety
It’s good to know that it works with plums – thank you.
We are very lucky to live in such a good cottage. It’s a real haven.