Plum in chocolate or plum nutella – simple and very tasty!
Homemade plum "Nutella" is a surprising little treat that really does taste and feel like the famous nut spread, but it's made from completely simple, affordable ingredients: ripe plums, sugar and cocoa powder. No thickeners, no gelatin, no additives — the silky thickness comes naturally from the plums' own pectin and patient simmering. This spread is perfect on toast, as a filling for crepes and cakes, or simply alongside fresh cheese. Pit the ripe plums, blend them into a smooth puree, simmer with sugar over low heat for 40-50 minutes, then stir in sifted cocoa at the very end and cook for another 5-10 minutes until you get a deep chocolate color. Spoon the hot spread into sterilized jars and seal. Proportions for 1 kg of plums inside.
I make plum in chocolate, or plum Nutella, every September when our Hungarian plums ripen. From my experience, the main secret is to purée the jam with an immersion blender after the first stage of cooking. Without puréeing you get ordinary jam with pieces of plum, but what we want is a smooth chocolate paste, just like Nutella. Cocoa and plum in this combination work like a pairing of dark chocolate with fruity acidity.
This is a budget alternative to Nutella made from 3 main ingredients – with no palm oil, emulsifiers or obscure E-additives. I serve it on toast, add it to baking, and use it as a filling for pancakes and pies. It is especially good with soft cheeses such as brie or camembert – an unexpected but delightful combination.
Preparation time: 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Show ingredients
- plums – 500 g;
- cocoa – 40 g;
- sugar – 250 g;
- rum – 2 tbsp (optional).
Step-by-step preparation of plum Nutella
- Remove the pits from the plums and rinse them well. I use the Hungarian or mirabelle variety – they give the thickest jam with the richest flavour. Place the pitted plums in a thick-bottomed saucepan, as a thin base will cause scorching. Light a small flame.
- Pour the granulated sugar over the plums. You can also use caster sugar, as it dissolves faster when the mixture comes to the boil and leaves no grains in the finished paste.
- Add natural cocoa powder with no additives. Stir all the ingredients together with a wooden spatula and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. As soon as the plums have softened and begin to fall apart, remove the jam from the heat ready for puréeing.
- The prepared base looks like this – a dark mass with pieces of softened plum. This is an intermediate stage before it turns into a smooth chocolate paste.
- Blend the jam with an immersion blender, in a jug or straight in the saucepan, until completely smooth, for 1–2 minutes. This is the moment the jam turns into Nutella. Return it to the heat for the final cooking.
- Pour in the required amount of dark rum – it gives the finished paste depth and a grown-up accent. For a version for children, skip it. Reduce the chocolate paste for 10–15 minutes to the desired thickness, stirring. Bring it to taste with a pinch of salt (it intensifies the chocolate flavour) and vanilla. Remove from the heat.
- Spoon the hot jam into sterilised 250 ml jars. Seal with metal lids for winter storage, or cover with a plastic lid for short-term keeping. Store in a dark, cool place or in the refrigerator.
- Serve the chocolate-plum paste with coffee, black tea, shortbread biscuits and – most unusual of all – with soft white-rind cheeses (camembert, brie). The combination of chocolate, fruit and cheese is restaurant-dessert level.
Tips and Tricks
Tip 1. Use ripe dark plums (Hungarian, mirabelle) – they give more juice, sweetness and the characteristic "wine-like" aroma.
Tip 2. Add the rum as you like – the jam is tasty without alcohol too, especially for children. The alcohol evaporates completely during cooking, leaving only the aroma.
Tip 3. For an authentic Nutella flavour, add 30 g of finely chopped roasted walnuts or hazelnuts at the stage of adding the rum. Cherry jam is made on a similar principle.
Tip 4. Serve with soft white-rind cheeses, toast, buns, or use as a filling for pies and croissants.
FAQ
Can I leave the rum out of the jam?+
Yes, the jam will be tasty without alcohol too – this is an even more "child-friendly" version. Rum adds depth of flavour and a characteristic "grown-up" aroma, but it is not essential. Alcohol-free options for aroma: a pinch of ground cinnamon (a warm winter accent), cardamom (eastern flair), ground cloves (a festive character), or orange or lemon zest (freshness). You can also replace the rum with natural vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) – the aroma will be gentle and versatile.
Which cocoa is best to use for the Nutella?+
Only natural cocoa powder with no additives – without sugar, emulsifiers or flavourings. The better the quality of the cocoa, the richer the chocolate flavour of the finished jam. Good options: alkalised (Dutch-process) cocoa, which is darker and milder, or untreated cocoa – both give an excellent result. Cocoa drinks of the Nesquik type are not suitable, as they contain sugar, milk components and flavourings. You can replace the cocoa with 50 g of melted dark chocolate (70%+) – for an even more restaurant-style version.
How long does plum Nutella keep?+
In airtight, sterilised, sealed jars in a dark, cool place – up to a year. Under a plastic lid in the refrigerator – up to 3 months. After opening a sealed jar, move it to the refrigerator and use it within 2–3 weeks. If mould appears on the surface or the jam smells unpleasant, throw out the whole jar. The sign of successful preserving is a thick, glossy texture and a pleasant chocolate-plum aroma, with no signs of fermentation or souring.
