Home > Categories > Food > Spreads > Black Doris Plum Preserve review
• No preservatives
• No artificial sweeteners
• Gluten free
• Fruitier than our old recipe
In this new recipe we left out some sugar so we could add more fruit. The result is a fruitier more flavoursome preserve.
Refrigerate after opening.
Most preservers boil fruit at high temperatures which causes much of the flavour to be lost in the steam. The desire to produce higher quality preserves at Barker's has led to the use of the Barker's vacuum cooker. This special cooker gently boils the fruit and retains all the subtle flavours - a unique and loved character of Barker's jams and preserves.
Product reviews...
Since trying the Barker's range of spreads and preserves a while ago we have never looked back, they are now the only brand we will buy. The quality of the products are always of such a high standard and I love that they have found a way to leave out a lot of sugar and put more yummy fruit in it's place, still managing to taste amazing at the same time. Plum preserve is something that we tend to buy every few months as it is always something that we use in so many ways.
The first thing you will notice about this product is the beautiful colour of the preserve through the glass jar, a lovely deep dark red, almost purple colour, the label really contrasts with the colour of the jam and makes it look really nice sitting on the supermarket shelf amongst other brands. Being made in New Zealand is a bonus for me buying this product as I always like to support and help out Kiwi owned companies where and when I can!
This plum preserve is absolutely divine, of course it goes great on a hot piece of buttered toast but it is also delicious on other breakfast products such as bagels, crumpets, and muffin splits especially with a dollop of cream cheese for an extra treat. Although we primarily do use this preserve as a spread I have used it before in several different ways, as a filling in some plum and chocolate chip muffins, as a spread on a pizza base topped with Camembert cheese, smoked chicken, capsicum and bacon, and also in steamed puddings, in which it goes really well and tastes amazing.
My whole family loves this preserve and even visitors who have been staying with us have been converted over to the Barkers brand after experiencing it for themselves. An absolutely great product which we will continue to buy, best of all it comes at a great price so a even better bonus!
I purchased Barkers Black Doris plum jam for the sole fact that I needed some jam and it was up for review so I thought I would kill two birds with one stone.
The labeling is clean and easy on the eye and gives the buyer a bit of a run down on the changes Barkers have made to their product, it also points out that there is less sugar which is a major draw card with consumers these days and gluten free so it covers a broader range of people who prefer that option. The jam itself is really smooth in consistency which was a surprise as I am more accustomed to jam having a chunkier consistency, this does make it really easy to spread though and helps ensure even distribution.
For having less sugar you would expect some sacrifice to be made to the final flavor but definitely not in this case, it has a nice rounded flavor that focuses more on the plum than just being your run of the mill sugary sweet jam.
This jam would be perfect for your basic piece of toast or as an added ingredient in your baking or cooking. I think the changes Barkers have made are definitely for the better as I really enjoyed the final product and although its a little more expensive than my usual jam it has cemented itself on my shopping list for sure.
I was lucky to be introduced to this amazing fruit preserve by Barkers. I have always loved Barkers products and was keen to give this one a go. I am not a jam person myself but we do go through quite a bit with my husband who has it on toast every morning and quite often on his sandwiches as well. I myself will eat jam if it is put in front of me or on girdle scones but it is definitely not a spread of choice.
I was glad to see that this fruit preserve had less sugar in than jam I was use to and the thought of being more full of fruit flavour got me excited. I love the taste of black doris plums so making sure this flavour is protected through cooking if fabulous.
The flavour was just what I imagined, tasted just like black doris plums even with that bit of tart that would normally be lost in a traditional jam. I loved the texture which was very smooth and could just of about been mistaken for a jelly other than the odd piece of plum that sneaked through. It spread very well. I loved how is melted slightly on warm toast.
I tried this on damper while away on holiday - Yumm (melted so well). I also stirred this through plain yoghurt to flavour it. This worked really well and I loved the tart flavour of the yoghurt. My son however did not like it in the yoghurt as he has already been spoilt with me using the bramble berries fruit preserve in the same way which is a bit sweeter in taste.
I am now in love with Barkers Fruit Preserves. I am even having it on toast every morning (which is not something I would normally choose to do). My favourite flavour is the bramble berries and would be personal choice, however black doris plum is close behind. Well done Barkers you have me hooked.
I am a massive fan of Barkers of Geraldine products and so was really excited to get to review the black doris plum preserve. My husband is one of the most pickiest eaters I have ever met, even worse than my three kids combined. However he loves plum jam funnily enough so I couldn't wait to give him this.
As expected as soon as I handed it to him he was off to the pantry to get the bread to make toast. Hes not one for experimentation. Just a simple man set in his ways. And also a happy man. Barkers black doris plum preserve is packed full of flavour not ruined by sweeteners right down to the last bite and this in his opinion is just top notch.
I was yet to try this out when I decided to make a batch of yoyos. Usually I make sure I have enough of everything before proceeding but confess I neglected to do so this time and was already part way through the recipe when I realised I did not have enough custard powder to make the yoyos filling. While they were baking I contemplated sending someone to get custard powder, then I remembered the preserve.
Best decision ever. As the preserve is a nice thick consistency and not a runny mess it made fkr the perfect yoyos filling. Hubby was right its packed fill of flavour and the tartness of the plum went perfectly with the sweetness of the cookies. So so good. Black doris preserve will now be a regular in my pantry. Yum.
I requested to review this product because my family loves jam and we go through quite a bit as a result. My kids will have jam on toast and in their sandwiches every day if I let them but I'm always a bit concerned about the amount of sugar that is in normal jam so I try to restrict how much they have. When I saw that Barkers had reduced the amount of sugar it uses I was very keen to try it and see if it tasted the same or more tart and see if my kids noticed at all.
I started off by spreading it on plain white toast for breakfast and I served the same up for my daughter (3 yrs) and son (17 months). I took a bite and thought it was delicious, I peeked over at my daughter and noticed that she was busy hoovering through her second quarter and my son hadn't tried to escape the table yet which was a great sign. The texture was nice and smooth with none of the lumps that other jams have and it tasted very fruity and not too tart. My daughter actually asked for the pink jam (it has a nice pink colour against the bread) again for breakfast the next morning.
I also found that the plum preserve goes really nicely with pikelets - my kids certainly thought so anyway. I just lathered a bit of jam straight on top of the pikelet and served it up to my kids for lunch and they loved it.
This is one jam that I will definitely be adding to the shopping list, I love the smooth texture, the fruity taste and the lower sugar levels. It's definitely a must try if you like any type of fruity jam.
Upon seeing this Black Doris Plum jam I just knew I had to try it! Memories of my childhood came flooding back - both of eating black Doris plums and making jam with my mum. Sadly we no longer have access to that plum tree and while my mum went on making plum jam with other varieties for years to follow, its never been quite the same to me. As soon as I received this jar to review I cracked the lid open and inhaled deeply. The jam smelt so good and again I was reminded of how great black Doris plums taste!
I then read the labelling and noticed that this "new" version of the jam has reduced sugar and more added fruit - that's got to be good for me I thought! I love the fact that this product is made in New Zealand on a family farm. Sure I know they are a big time name now and its probably not as simple as that - but the fact it started that way and continues to be a family business really speaks huge amounts to me and is something I like to think I can support in any little way. This jam is another to add to the list of products made by Barkers of Geraldine that permanently live in my fridge or cupboard!
The first way I ate this jam was simply on toast and the flavour was just amazing! You can really taste the plums and feel the flesh of the plum amongst the jam. At the same time this jam is completely smooth with no lumps - something I really appreciate in comparison to my mums home made jam that still has the pips included . I also gave some jam on toast to my 15month old who normally wont eat jam - she eyed it and surprising me picked it up for a try. She must have thought it tasted good/better than other jams as she had several bites before going back to her trusty marmite on toast.
The next thing I did was make a Christmas trifle using this jam - our favourite pudding to have over Christmas with a bit of a twist. I covered the sponge with this jam and also added a spoonful into the jelly mixture. Wow what a trifle this produced!! You could definitely taste the flavour of plums amongst the custard and jelly. I took this dessert to a family dinner and everyone (6 adults and 4 children) finished their bowl full and were raving about it. It truly was delicious and I will be making our trifle the same way next year that's for sure! I also tried this jam out in making some basic jam drop biscuits. Again these proved to be so yummy and are something I will make again. The following day my husband, daughter and I all enjoyed the jam spread on pikelets - again it just added that special something to a basic morning tea. The taste of real plums shone through no matter how I tried the jam out, its just so yummy!
I love that you can use this jam in such a variety of ways. The flavour is outstanding and I have been looking for new ways to use it every day. I don't buy jam often so I'm not 100% sure where the price sits in terms of cheap/expensive but I know that I would happily pay $4.10 for a jar of this without a doubt! Totally recommend to everyone to try - you wont regret it.
I've never been a huge jam eater. I have no issue with it, but I have always been a peanut butter man, when it comes to the toppings on my toast. But I had a real hankering for a nice plum sauce, so when I saw this plum flavoured item come up for review, I was happy to see one allocated to me.
Now as a jam, the first thing that I noticed was the consistency. It wasn't a solid lump, that you have to try crush without destroying the toast. This jar holds an actually jam with a great paste-like consistency & texture. The flavour itself was strong, but very nice and enjoyable (probably helped by the fact that I could easily spread it.
As I really wanted this as a plum sauce (I was almost tempted just to use it as is) I combined the jam in a small saucepan, with very small amounts of chilli peppers, garlic, ginger, a spoonful of brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and combined everything while I brought the mixture to the boil. Having also just made some spicy beef burger patties by hand, the plum sauce seemed the perfect accompaniment to the burger. It had a great texture, a full flavour, and it was easy to just store the extra in the fridge for use in another meal.
The strong flavour does limit its uses (or at least the quantities of the product that you could use at one time) but if I'm ever shopping for jams, I now have a new preferred brand.
I'm a big fan of Barker's jams and preserves. Many of the ones I have tried were a direct result of my involvement with KIWIreviews. Some of them have become staples in my trolley. So I was pretty pleased to get in on the new selection of jams including this yummy plum jam.
I enjoy plum jams, but I'm not a huge fan of plums. I'm embarrassed to say that when our plum tree collapsed on itself I was not sad at all. I find them to be too sour, and only the right taste for me for such a short time. But getting plum in a jam style is great because the sour is not as obvious and I don't have to fight the birds for the best fruit.
The first thing I did with this jam was to have it the traditional way on a scone plain and then with cream. The taste of the jam was great. It's not too sour, but it's still obviously plum. And I liked that it had a lot of fruit in it. You can feel the additional fruity flesh in the jam. With cream, on a scone it was so yummy.
The next thing I tried was to make a plum jelly with it. I put a heaped tablespoon of jam into hot water with gelatin. I then tore up some sponge cake, drowned it in the jelly and added fruit and custard and left that to set. I served my husband some for dessert that night and he was thrilled. The flavour of the plum was good and it was a great addition to the trifle. On the second night though, it was even better. The jelly was more set, and it added such a great colour to the trifle too.
Lastly I thought I would try to make a savoury item with my jam. With a touch of apricot jam and plum jam, mixed with soy sauce, vinegar and ginger as well as some pepper. I used this in a chicken stir fry and the flavour was brilliant. I think it would have been just as good without the apricot as well, but I liked the mix. This jam is great on toast, but is also so versatile. Given all it's uses and the relatively low price, I think this is a great jam.
My daughter (4.5 years old) loves plum jam. When she saw we had some Barker's Black Doris Plums Preserve in the fridge she had to try some. She even chose it over the Nutella I had bought for a Christmas treat. We had some cheap plum jam in the fridge too so out of curiousity it compared the two. The Barkers one was much darker in colour and I could see plum skin. It was also much lower in added sugar. It tasted fruitier too. We all had a liking for it as the jar disappeared quickly.
We are lucky enough to have relatives on both sides of the family that often give us homemade jam but although we all love the taste they are usually so full of bits that you use heaps more than necessary on your toast and the kids complain at the lumps. There were none of these problems with the Barker's preserve. It was smooth and the bits of skin were tender so you didn't notice it when you are eating it.
I was searching through a recipe app on my phone for ideas to try this plum jam with. I came across a baked French toast. I had never heard of it before but it was so easy. I don't think I am ever going to make French Toast in the frying pan again. The jam was great in it. I could smell the jam as it baked. I could have spread the jam a bit thicker for a stronger flavour, which I think I'll do next time. I ate much more of this for brunch than I needed and enjoyed some cold for afternoon tea too. This dish proved to me that the jam was just as good warm as cold.
I doubt Miss 4.5 will allow me to buy any other plum jam after trying this. I am hoping she doesn't say anything rude about any of the relatives when they give us any of their preserves. It could be a bit awkward. Barker's black Doris plum preserve is the best as far as she is concerned.
I was lucky enough to be given some of this jam to review and I have great childhood memories of home made plum jam so it had a lot to live up to! I noted that Barkers have reduced the sugar and added more fruit so I wondered if this might make the jam a little too tart or sour. However I needn't have worried at all - it was absolutely delicious and seriously was up there with the best plum jams I've tasted.
I love that this jam is completely smooth without lumps as my daughter isn't a huge jam fan and definitely won't eat jam with lumps. I am always trying to seek out the least lumpy jam (or trying to spread them in such a way that she won't notice the lumps!) and these Barkers jams will now be top of my list in that regards.
I have a tried and true Alison Holst slow cooker chicken recipe that uses plum jam so this seemed the perfect recipe to try out. I loved that I could mix the jam and the other ingredients to a smooth paste - having no lumps really really helped this dish. It was so delicious that we'd eaten it all before I remembered to take a photo though!
I highly recommend this jam and I believe it is a very comparable price for a great quality product and will be buying these jams again without a doubt.
My whole family absolutely loves this jam!
I first tried this jam as my supermarket was selling off old stock for a dollar a jar. I thought, well why the heck not, its only one dollar and Barkers is a good brand, and I have tried other products and fallen in love with the taste! This is the only plum jam that I will buy now, its just so much better than other brands for taste, consistency, smell and the look of it.
The taste is amazing and if I don't watch the kids spreading it onto their buns, sandwiches, toast etc then we end up going through the whole jar faster than they do with nutella!
I love that it is a New Zealand made product and is available in all my local supermarkets, sometimes it can be a little hard to spot them as they are a smaller range than other jam brands. However, since they have updated their packaging so that the label is white it is much easier to find.
At first I thought that the price was expensive compared to other products, but when you taste this wonderful jam you know that it is well worth the price, infact I would probably pay up to five dollars for this brand of jam.
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