Damson Recipes: How to make Damson Gin, Jam & Crumble
Lee Burkhill: Award Winning Designer & BBC 1's Garden Rescue Presenters Official Blog
Damsons are a subspecies of the Plum family and have a really high fruit rate, which is great for bakers, preservers or foragers in the garden. As Damsons have a high pectin rate, they set jam with just sugar alone, with no need for manufactured pectin additives.
Damsons are a nutritious and versatile fruit with several benefits for growers. Rich in vitamins A, C, and K and dietary fibre, they support immune health, digestion, and bone strength. Their high antioxidant content helps combat inflammation and protect cells from damage. They are the original super fruit!
Damsons are also known for their natural sweetness and tart flavour, making them perfect for jams, sauces, and baking. Additionally, they are easy to grow in temperate climates and can contribute to a healthy, balanced diet.
Here are my Top 3 speedy Damson recipes to help you get the most out of your Damson fruit tree harvests. These Damson recipes are for the time-poor gardener/cook who suddenly finds themselves with a bucketful of Damsons and needs to make good use of them! Watch my video guide below to make Damson Jam, Gin and Crumble.
September is the ideal time to harvest juicy Damsons in the UK. To tell if Damsons are ripe, give them a light squeeze. If they feel solid like bullets, they need another week or so. If they are soft to the squeeze, they are ready. They should pull off easily and be edible, not tart or rock solid!
If you haven't got your own tree, you can often find people online complaining about too many Damsons. So you can always find someone with spare fruit to go and pick. Obviously, always ask permission, but they are really easy to harvest by simply twisting off the fruits.
As a disclaimer, there are two camps of Damson cookers: those who de-stone their damsons and those who don't. Destoning Damsons is a laborious process, but it does result in an easier eating experience. I tend not to destone my damsons for speed but always tell my guests and diners. It's entirely up to you, but you have been warned!
Damsons have large solid stones in the centre of them, which is how they reproduce, which is a poem fruit. Damsons are a drupe fruit. A drupe is a fruit with a fleshy outer part that surrounds a shell, or pit, containing a seed. These stones can easily chip and crack your teeth if you don't know they are there!
To quickly destone damsons, follow these simple steps:
Place the damsons in the freezer for a few hours or overnight. Once thawed, the stones often become easier to remove by squeezing the fruit, as the freezing process softens the flesh. This is my favourite method for speed!
Use a small paring knife to slice the damson in half along the natural seam, then twist the halves in opposite directions. The stone should pop out easily, though this method works best for larger, riper damsons.
If you have a cherry pitter, it can be used to quickly push the stones out of damsons, especially if you're dealing with a large batch.
Damson gin is probably the easiest thing to make with a glut of Damsons and is the perfect Christmas or winter tipple! It brings all the goodness of natural Damsons but a boozy kick. In fact, it is delicious neat over ice or used to perk up a glass of Prosecco when entertaining friends!
This method for making your own Damson Gin could not be simpler.
1. Freeze your Damsons overnight in a bag or Tupperware. Then, when you lift them out as they defrost, their skins break open, allowing them to infuse quickly with the alcohol.
2. Add the Damsons, Sugar and Gin to an airtight container like a mason jar or Kilner jar
3. Give it a really good shake!
4. Put it into a cupboard, somewhere out of direct sunlight, for 2-3 months. Shaking each week to ensure the sugar has dissolved.
6. When ready, pass the gin through some muslin to sift out the debris and decant into a bottle. That's it!
Making Damson jam is super easy, given the extraordinarily high pectin levels in the fruit. This means the jam sets without the need for special jam sugar or added pectin.
Again this method is so simple, especially if you can tolerate leaving the stones in the Damson. This way it's effortless.
1. Add your sugar to your largest pan and place it on the highest heat on the stove or hob.
2. Add the fruit and stir until the sugar dissolves.
3. Bring to a rapid boil for 10 mins - don't stir.
4. While this is happening, wash four to six jam jars. Then, place them in an oven or microwave to sterilise them. Usually, 5 minutes does it.
5. Use a Jam thermometer to check if it has reached the setting point. Alternatively, use a cold saucer out of the fridge. Add a blob of jam onto it, if it quickly forms a skin it's done. If not, give it another 2 mins.
6. Lift out your jars and pour the jam into the jar using a ladle. Leave to cool, then add your lids.
7. Home made Damson jam will store for years if you don't devour it first!
Who doesn't love a fruity crumble after Sunday lunch? Crumbles are super easy to make, and with the insane amount of pectin in your Damsons, these crumbles are super sticky and delicious! A Damson crumble is tart and sweet at the same time. The beauty of this crumble is the stickiness of the fruit, given the pectin and high sugar content of the fruit.
This crumble recipe is so easy and delicious. Especially if you have unexpected guests. You can be kind and destone, but if in a hurry, I wouldn't bother. Just explain to your guests to watch out when they tuck in. It depends on how friendly you are!
1.Add your Damsons (stoned or not) to an ovenproof dish.
2. Peel and core your two apples. Slice and add to the Damsons.
3. Sprinkle over a tablespoon of brown sugar - any type of brown sugar will do.
4. Make your crumble by adding all the crumble ingredients to a food processor. Blitz until it turns to crumbs.
5. Cover the fruit and bake for 30 mins at 180c or gas mark 4.
6. Serve immediately with cream or ice cream!
The trees may not be the most elegant or attractive, but they are low-fuss. I only prune mine if it gets damaged or a branch is really growing in the wrong place. If I need to prune, I always prune Damsons in summer to avoid silver leaf disease. Watch my How to prune a cherry tree guide below to make sure you prune it correctly. For the most part, you're only pruning damsons if they get damaged or if they are young whip trees that need some formative pruning. Mostly I never prune mature damsons unless damaged or diseased!
Here are the steps to correctly prune a Damson tree:
Prune your damson tree during late summer to avid silverleaf and never in winter. You can get away with pruning your Damsons just after harvesting the fruits in September.
Always use clean, sharp pruning tools to make clean cuts and minimize the risk of disease transmission. Disinfect your tools between cuts, especially when dealing with diseased wood.
Start by identifying and removing any dead, diseased, or damaged branches. Cut them back to healthy wood or to the base of the tree trunk if necessary.
Next, thin out any overcrowded branches to improve air circulation and light penetration throughout the tree. Cut back competing branches to their point of origin or to a lateral branch.
Damson trees benefit from an open centre or vase shape. Identify the central leader (main trunk) and remove any competing branches growing vertically upward. Aim for a balanced structure with several main branches radiating outwards from the centre. This is known as the open goblet shape.
When pruning for fruit production, focus on encouraging new growth on younger wood where fruiting spurs will develop. Prune older wood to rejuvenate the tree and promote vigorous growth. However, in my experience damsons will fruit prolifically on all but dead wood!
While it's important to prune for shape and structure, avoid over-pruning, which can reduce the fruiting potential of Damsons. Aim for a balanced approach that maintains the tree's health and vitality. LIke I said, I very rarely prune my damson unless branches are damaged or diseased.
Keep an eye on your damson tree throughout the growing season and make adjustments as needed. Remove any water sprouts or suckers that emerge from the base of the tree, and continue to shape and train the tree to your desired form over time.
However, unlike other fruit trees, such as apples, that need regular maintenance pruning to encourage fruiting, Damsons are almost the reverse. Neglect seems to bring bountiful fruit yields!
Damsons are a fantastic addition to any garden. They offer delicious fruit with minimal maintenance, and unlike other fruit trees, they are beginner-friendly as they need little to no pruning. They thrive in most UK climates and are perfect for smaller gardens, producing compact trees with an abundance of fruit. They seem to have fallen out of favour with other more fussy plum trees, but Damsons have gorgeous spring blossoms and delicious autumn fruits.
Follow this guide to ensure successful planting and care of your damson tree.
Damsons prefer a sunny spot with well-drained soil. While they tolerate partial shade, full sunlight will promote better fruiting. Choose an area with good air circulation to prevent diseases and avoid frost pockets, as damsons flower early in the season, and frost can damage the blossoms.
Plant damsons in the late autumn or early winter when they are dormant, ideally between November and February.
Damsons aren’t particularly fussy, but they thrive in loamy, slightly acidic to neutral soils (pH 6.0-7.0). Before planting, enrich the soil with organic compost or well-rotted manure to improve drainage and fertility leave these for two weeks so it doesn't burn the tree roots or cause the new tree to become 'lazy' (ie not send out any new roots).
Ensure the soil is weed-free and well-aerated to give your tree the best start.
Dig a hole about twice the width of the root ball and deep enough so the graft point (the raised bump where the variety meets the rootstock) is just above the soil surface.
Place the tree in the hole, ensuring the roots are spread out and not bent or twisted. Backfill with soil, gently firming it around the roots to remove air pockets.
Most damson trees are self-fertile, meaning they don’t need a pollination partner, though having another variety nearby can improve yields. Space your damson trees about 3-4 metres apart to allow for their mature size and to ensure proper air circulation.
Damsons are fairly drought-tolerant once established, but regular watering is essential in the first couple of years, particularly during dry spells. Avoid waterlogging, as this can cause root rot. Prune your damson tree in late summer to remove dead, diseased, or overcrowded branches. This helps improve airflow and light penetration, encouraging healthy growth and fruiting. As I said, you shouldn't need to do this often.
In my honest opinion, Damsons need very little in terms of plant feed. They really are a great beginner tree. If the mood takes you or your fruit tree looks like it needs help, use a balanced 7:7:7 NPK feed. A slow-release feed is better than a liquid feed.
Damson trees can take around 3–5 years to produce their first crop of fruits, but it can take as long as 10–15 years to produce substantial crops. Having two or more Damsons can help increase fruiting as you get better cross-pollination.
Here are my seriously simple Damson recipes. Unapologetically, they make the most of the tart taste of Damson without adding all sorts of other sweeter fruits. I like to keep things simple and celebrate the humble Damson.
Growing fruit to make your own jam is an awesome idea for several reasons, Ninjas. First, it's a fun and rewarding way to connect with nature and enjoy the fruits of your labour—literally! Plus, you have total control over what goes into your jam, so you can skip all those artificial additives and enjoy homegrown fruit's pure, natural goodness.
Making your own jam also lets you experiment with different flavours outside of Damsons and get creative in the kitchen. And let's not forget the satisfaction of sharing your homemade jam with friends and family. It's like spreading joy on toast. So grab those gardening gloves and get ready to jam out in your back gardens— a berry-delicious adventure waiting to happen!
If you've liked this recipe why not let me know or show me your Damson success stories on social media? Tweet, Facebook or Instagram me to share your love of Damsons.
Happy Baking/Gardening!
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Excellent stuff! I just made Damson Cheese (lovely with cheddar & biscuits) and I have Damson and Orange muffins queued up, but the crumble looks v tempting. Damson are a fabulous fruit, especially if you pick them when they are fully ripe – loads of flavour and not too mouth puckering.