Blackberry and sloe cheese, bullace cheese (traditional)

We’ve had a massive crop of blackberries in our hedge this year, unfortunately, many have been out of reach, but we’ve had some very tasty crumbles and pies. They have been really lush, I guess all that rain plumped them up and now this unseasonable heatwave has made them sweet and flavoursome. We haven’t had enough to make into jam or jelly, but I came across this recipe in ‘Cookery To-day and To-morrow, by Nell Heaton, published during the war. I guess wild produce was especially appreciated then, but of course rationing meant that some of the other ingredients weren’t as available.

Below the recipe for Blackberry and Sloe Cheese (not actual cheese of course, but a name for a preserve such as lemon curd) , is a recipe for Bullace Cheese (traditional). I had never heard of bullaces, but my mother-in-law told me about them – they are a type of wild plum, similar to a damson.

Blackberry and sloe cheese

Take equal parts of blackberries and sloes and allow ¾-1 lb of sugar for each 1 lb of fruit.
Place fruit and sugar in the preserving pan and bring to the boil.
Boil quickly for about 45 minutes, then pass through a wire sieve, re-boil a few minutes, pot and seal.

There’s no mention of adding water, maybe the fruit is juicy enough?

Bullace cheese (traditional)
Place the bullace in a pan and add 2 oz of sugar to each 1lb of fruit,
Cook till tender then rub through a seive.
To each 1 lb of pulp allow 10 oz of sugar and boil pulp and sugar slowly together for 1½ hours, stirring all the time.
Pour into hot pots and cover.
Store in a cool dry place.

The cooking time seems rather long, an hour and a half? Puzzling, but I’m sure the jam was delicious!