Magiun de prune

Magiun de prune, plum butter, is a dense, fragrant preserve obtained by the long boiling of ripe plums, with no added sugar or with very little, and is one of the most prized larder products in Moldova. Dark brown, almost black, with a thick, glossy consistency, magiun concentrates all the sweetness and aroma of autumn plums, keeping the taste of summer for the cold months.

How it is made

Making magiun is a real labour of patience. Well-ripened, sweet and juicy plums are used, and stoned. They are set to boil in a large cauldron, usually of copper or cast iron, and stirred without pause with a wooden paddle so they do not catch on the bottom. The boiling lasts many hours, sometimes a whole day, until the water in the plums evaporates and the mass thickens and takes on its characteristic dark colour.

Authentic magiun needs no added sugar, since the plums sweeten naturally as their sugars concentrate during the boiling. It is precisely the continuous stirring and the slow boiling, over a moderate heat, that are the secrets of a successful magiun: anyone in a hurry risks catching it on the bottom and spoiling the taste. A well-made magiun is so thick that a spoon stands upright in it, and its dark colour and gloss show the perfect concentration of the aromas. Once ready, it is poured hot into jars, which are sealed and kept for months, sometimes even years.

When it is eaten and its cultural role

Magiun de prune is made in autumn, in the plum-ripening season, often as a genuine household ceremony in which the whole family or even the neighbours take part. Boiling the magiun in the yard, in a cauldron over a wood fire, is a tradition that brings people together and turns work into a celebration.

Through the year, magiun is used as a filling for plăcinte, colțunași, doughnuts and cozonac, as a filling for small crescent pastries, and also as a preserve spread on bread or on warm mămăligă. Rich and natural, with no preservatives, it is the symbol of a well-kept larder and of a cook's industry, holding within it all the sweetness of autumn. For Moldovans, a jar of home-made magiun is a treasure of winter, preserving the aroma of the plum orchards and the loving effort of those who made it.