1 kg of plums, 400 g of vodka, 30 minutes in the Thermomix® and the liqueur is ready to drink. No weeks of steeping, no daily shaking, no waiting. We blend the plums, cook them with sugar and cinnamon at 100°C and add the alcohol only afterwards. The result is two bottles of intense plum liqueur that tastes great warm or cold.
Plum Liqueur with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 5 ✓
- 1000 g plums
- 270 g sugar
- 30 g vanilla sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 400 g vodka
Instructions 0 / 4
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1
Stone the plums.
Wash and stone the plums, place them in the mixing bowl and blend for 20 seconds / speed 10.
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2
Heat the ingredients.
Add the sugar, vanilla sugar and cinnamon, mix for 10 seconds / speed 4, cook for 8 minutes / 100°C / speed 1 and then leave to cool.
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3
Add the alcohol.
Add the vodka and mix for 10 seconds / speed 4.
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4
Bottle.
Pass the plum liqueur through a fine sieve into sterilised bottles and store in the fridge.
Tip: You can also use damsons instead of plums.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Ready to drink straight away instead of weeks of steeping
Most plum liqueur recipes work as a steeping liqueur: put plums in alcohol, wait four to six weeks, strain. The Thermomix® makes that unnecessary. Blending at speed 10 breaks down the entire fruit mass. When cooked at 100°C the pectin dissolves, the sugar caramelises lightly and the flavours concentrate in 8 minutes rather than weeks.
The flavour differs from a classic steeped liqueur. Our plum liqueur is fruitier and fuller because we use the whole plum, not just the juice it releases over weeks. If you leave the liqueur in the fridge for a week it develops even more depth. But it is ready to drink as soon as you bottle it.
Ripe plums make all the difference
Unripe plums make the liqueur sour and thin. We use 1000 g of fully ripe plums that give slightly when pressed and smell sweet. Damsons work just as well and have a little more acidity, which gives the liqueur a pleasant freshness.
The 270 g of sugar sounds like a lot, but the plums lose water during cooking and the flavour concentrates. Without enough sugar the liqueur turns bitter rather than fruity. The tablespoon of cinnamon and the 30 g of vanilla sugar provide the warm, spiced note that sets plum liqueur apart from plain plum juice. The 400 g of vodka provides the alcohol base. For something stronger, you can use a clear grain spirit or rum.
Why we cook at 100°C before adding the alcohol
The sequence in the Thermomix® follows a clear order: blend first (20 seconds at speed 10), then add the sugar and spices (10 seconds at speed 4), then cook for 8 minutes at 100°C at speed 1. Only after that does the vodka go in (10 seconds at speed 4).
The 100°C matters: the pectin in the plums only dissolves fully from 85°C upwards. This helps the fruit sugars bind better and the liqueur turns silky rather than watery. Adding the vodka before cooking causes alcohol to evaporate and the liqueur ends up weaker than intended. So always let the mixture cool first, then stir in the vodka.
The three most common mistakes
Not straining. Without straining through a fine sieve, fruit pieces and fibres remain in the liqueur. It turns cloudy and settles in the bottle. We pour the finished liqueur slowly through a fine sieve or muslin cloth. That takes 5 minutes and makes the difference between rustic and clear.
Too little sugar. 270 g of sugar to 1 kg of plums is the right ratio. Reducing to 150 g gives a tart liqueur that tastes like compote. The sweetness carries the fruit and balances the alcohol.
Not sterilising the bottles. In unsterilised bottles the liqueur will turn after two weeks. We rinse the bottles with boiling water and leave them upside down on a clean cloth to dry. This way the liqueur keeps for several months.
Bottle, store, give as a gift
Pass the finished liqueur through a fine sieve into sterilised bottles and seal them. Stored in the fridge it keeps for at least three months, and considerably longer with a higher alcohol content (for example using a clear grain spirit instead of vodka).
The liqueur makes a lovely gift. Filled into small liqueur bottles and fitted with a label, it is a personal present for plum season. To serve it warm: heat one serving in the Thermomix® to 60°C (2 minutes at speed 1). Serve with a dollop of whipped double cream.
Rum, damsons, without cinnamon: variations
Rum instead of vodka: Dark rum adds caramel notes and pairs well with plum. The quantity stays the same (400 g). The liqueur becomes more aromatic but also bolder in flavour.
Damsons instead of plums: Damsons have firmer flesh and a little more acidity. The liqueur turns more tart and less sweet. In that case we increase the sugar by 30 g to 300 g.
Without cinnamon: If you want the pure plum flavour, leave out the cinnamon. The vanilla sugar stays in, it rounds off the flavour without dominating.
More liqueur recipes: Unicorn Liqueur, Tussi Liqueur or Raffaello Liqueur. If you prefer to use plums in a bake: Damson Cake and Plum Jam.
Can I use frozen plums?
Yes. Thaw frozen plums completely first and pour off the liquid. Otherwise the liqueur turns out too watery. The flavour is slightly less intense than with fresh plums, but the result is solid.
How strong is the liqueur?
With 400 g of vodka (37.5% ABV) relative to the total volume, the alcohol content comes to around 15 to 18% ABV. That is comparable to a full-bodied wine. For something stronger, use 500 g of vodka. For something lighter, reduce to 300 g.
How long does the plum liqueur keep?
In sterilised bottles in the fridge, at least three months. With a higher alcohol content, up to a year. Give it a brief shake before serving if any fruit pulp has settled.
