Damson cheese

Makes 6 Sauces and accompaniments

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Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Put the fruit and lemon juice in a heavy casserole dish and cover. Put in the oven for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2 and cook for 50 minutes. Lower the heat further to 130°C/250°F/Gas ½ and cook for a further 1 hour.

Sit a nylon sieve over a bowl and tip in the damsons and their juice. When cooled a little, push the fruit through the sieve with the back of a ladle. Collect the stones and wrap them in muslin.

Rinse out the casserole dish and add the fruit purée, along with the warmed sugar and the bag of stones, and place over a very low heat. The sugar will take about 30 minutes to dissolve. Remove the bag of stones and put on a plate to cool. Increase the heat a little and cook for about 30 minutes until it thickens (a heat diffusing mat is handy). Squeeze the wrapped stones into the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, and pour the mixture into the small containers. Cover with waxed paper, or leave in the open air (if a dust-free place) in a cool place for a month. Unmould and wrap in waxed paper or cling film, and store in a clean cool aired, but dry, place for up to 2 years.