Victorian Sugarplums: Happy Holidays!

Victorian Sugarplums from the kitchen of Cat Marx

This is an authentic sugarplum recipe from the Victorian Era.  I have made a few modern modifications to it. But these are true sugarplums.  Many people often hear the term and think it is plum, of some sort, as you will see that is not the case. I use all unsulphered fruits.

Ingredients:

1 cup dried apricots

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup pitted dates

½ cup cranberries

½ cup golden raisins or plain raisins

2 tsp. orange zest

3 tablespoons of orange juice

¼ cup honey

¼ cup candied ginger…you may adjust according to taste

You may add these spices according to taste:

¼ tsp. nutmeg, ¼ tsp. cinnamon,¼ tsp. cardamom…you will also see this in some stores as cardamon...same thing

½ cup white organic sugar or fine turbinado sugar for rolling the sugarplums in.

You may also add a Tbsp. of rum or brandy to taste.

 

Thanks to most modern kitchens, we can chop all of this in a food processor.  Take each fruit and nut ingredient and the candied ginger and pulse in a food processor until chopped to an even medium texture. The fruit and nuts should begin to clump. Transfer to a large bowl and add the honey, orange juice, orange zest, desired spices, and rum or brandy if chosen, and mix well with a wooden spoon.  Roll by hand into bite sized balls and roll in the sugar.  This will make about 4 dozen or so sugarplums, less if you make the balls larger. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container lined in wax paper.  The longer you keep the sugarplums, the more refined the tastes seem to become as they meld.  I often wait 48 hours before serving them.  Enjoy and happy holidays!  XOXO Cat