Damson Cheese (Zwetschgenmus)
Traditional German Zwetschgenmus (damson plum cheese) slowly cooked for hours into a thick, spreadable fruit butter with just plums and water. No added sugar needed.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
READY
Zwetschgenmus is a traditional German fruit preserve made from nothing but damson plums and water, cooked down over many hours until thick enough that a spoon stands straight up in the pot. Despite the name, there’s no actual cheese involved. “Cheese” here refers to the dense, sliceable texture of the finished product.
This is a patience recipe. The pulp reduces over low heat for several hours before you even start stirring. Once it thickens enough to start sputtering, you’ll need to stir continuously to keep it from scorching on the bottom. In German villages, families used to gather in the washhouse for group cooking sessions with storytelling to keep the stirrers entertained. It’s that kind of commitment.
Damsons are tart enough that no sugar is needed. The long, slow cooking concentrates the natural sweetness into an intensely fruity, almost jammy spread.
Once thick, transfer the paste to stoneware crocks and bake until a dry crust forms on top. A piece of parchment soaked in rum laid over the crust before sealing helps preserve it even longer.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t stir during the initial reduction phase or the pulp will scorch on the bottom
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot to distribute heat evenly during the long cook
- The finished product should be thick enough to hold its shape on a knife
- A splatter screen helps during the bubbling stage
Variations
- Spread on dark rye bread or use as a filling for German pastries
- Add cinnamon and cloves during the cooking for a spiced version
- Use Italian prune plums if damsons aren’t available in your area
Ingredients
Directions
Pit the damsons and mince them (or put them through the grinder or purée in the blender or food processor), retaining as much of the juice as possible.
Add a little water to the minced damsons and the juice and slowly bring to a boil’ reduce the fruit pulp over low heat for several hours, but do not stir or the damson pulp is quite likely to scorch on the bottom.
When the pulp has thickened somewhat, it will have to be stirred - continuously - for several hours, until it is literally thick enough that a spoon will stand up in it.
It may sputter and bubble during this stage.
(In former days, it was usual for several families to convene in the village washhouse for a cooperatove ‘Zwetschgenmus’ cooking session, with story-telling and other impromptu entertainments to give encouragement to the stirrers.)
When the damson cheese has sufficiently thickened, transfer it to stoneware crocks and bake in the oven until a dry crust has formed on top.
The damson cheese will keep better if a piece of parchment paper that has been soaked in rum is placed on top of this crust before the crock is sealed with plastic wrap (formerly a piece of linen or parchment was used).
A good imported product is available on the American market under the name of ‘Pflaumenmus’ (pronounced Flaumenmoose)
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