Ingredients

Step by step

1. Put the red wine, orange zest and juice, cloves and cinnamon into a large pan and bring up to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Take off the heat; leave to cool slightly.
2. Put the prepared plums into a really large saucepan or preserving pan and strain over the mulled red wine, discarding the cloves and cinnamon. The pan should be no more than half full. Cover and cook gently for 15-20 minutes, depending on the ripeness of your fruit, until the plum skins are soft. Meanwhile, put 3 small saucers into the freezer to chill.
3. Uncover the plums, add the sugar and stir on a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
4. Increase the heat and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for about 5 minutes or until setting point is reached and a sugar thermometer registers 105°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, check the setting point as follows; take the pan off the heat, spoon a little jam onto one of the chilled saucers and return to the freezer for 2 minutes. Push your finger across the surface of the jam – if it wrinkles and no runny jam runs back onto the plate, the jam is ready. If not, return to the heat, bring back to the boil and boil for 2 minutes more, then check again.
5. Take the pan off the heat and leave the jam to settle for a few minutes so that the fruit stays suspended in the jam, then skim any scum from the surface with a large metal spoon. Pour into warm sterilised jars (see below) and seal with tight-fitting lids. Label once cool. 
   Tip

   Sterilise your jars by heating for 5 mintutes in a medium-hot over (190°C, Fan 170°C, Gas 5).