A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Has anyone tried doing a Rumtopf? I've spent eight hours sorting through all the junk in my kitchen and found mine, and I got to thinking - can you do little jars of it for Christmas? And if you can, do you do it all in the big Rumtopf pottery jar, and then spoon it out into airtight jars, or can you make it directly in smaller jars - jamjar sized jars? And does it need to be airtight? My big Rumtopf pot just has a lid which sits on the top and doesn't look airtight. How long does it take to reach the right alcoholism level/fruity goodness level? Help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 erm, what is a rumtopf sounds exciting cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I always wonder what you do with these, they are never out of the charity shops so I always guessed they are one of those things you buy thinking it'll be a good idea and then find you never use. Off to google.... UGH Rum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted August 30, 2009 Author Share Posted August 30, 2009 You layer fruit and alcohol and fruit and alcohol and fruit and alcohol for quite a long time and then you eat it and it's really nice and then you pass out or your head explodes or something. It's very strong but very nice and possibly very German. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 It is an old German way of preserving fruit. The idea is to layer the fruit as the seasons produce it, starting with strawberries, blueberries etc etc just keep topping up with fruit and rum. My parents always had one on the go. The lid is never airtight as it would always stink the kitchen out I don't see why you couldn't use a large jar/container and then decant into smaller ones for Christmas A chickychickychick-ENN!! My parents served it warm over ice cream **Linky here** **'recipe' here** You can add any fruit you like. Top the jar with cling film before you put the lid on to give a better seal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesleyH Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 sounds like a brilliant idea! would look lovely in a kilner jar...would be nice with tropical fruits...kiwi's and pineapple...yum - fab xmas idea. i have started collecting interesting glass bottles - there are some great balsamic vinegar pots in the shops...for things suck as this - make it then decant for xmas in small portions - drink the rest and eat the fruit yourself of course!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 We did this lots when I was young, it was delicious on ice cream especially the 'gravy'. I seem to remember that we used a special rum for it that was a lot stronger than normal rum - much higher alcohol content. We used to have to buy it in Germany and bring it back, or ask any firends travelling that way to bring it. this high alcohol content was important to preserve the fruit - so it didn't need to be airtight and you could keep adding different fruits as they came into season until the jar was full, so it would start iwth summer berries and go all through the autumn orchard fruits - by Christmas it was quite something and the longer we kept it the better it tasted, although the fruit became more mushy as it aged. I haven't thought about that in years... off to Google 'Rumtopf' and see where I can buy that rum.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I think that there is a bit about it in the RC Preserves book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I've did one each year for several years and a couple of years ago was so enthusiastic. I " over-flowed" into a large sweet jar! Both worked. And I used frozen and dried fruit one year when I left it very late for fresh. You have to make sure the frozen fruit doesn't water it down too much but frozen raspberries and cherries worked a treat. Grapes are lovely too - they explode in your mouth! Reminds me I must find where I put that Rumtopf..... Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Mum always had one of these too. The fruits were nice over a mince pie at Christmas or with pannacotta. Mmmmm You used to get very tipsy from the rumtopf. The next Omlet must do / have? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 I have just made 10 spring cliip jars full for Christmas prezzies. Strawberries, blackberries, bueberries, raspberries, peach, plum and mango all in layers with soft brown sugar and rum. I find I need to top up the fruit just once after the fruit has settled and usually use mango or apricot. Absolutely scrummy and if you do them now they are just right at Christmas time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 resurrecting this thread as I found a rumtopf jar in a charity shop yesterday - and bought it its got a weird smell to the jar - so im dishwashing it first, then im going to start can I just use normal rum someone mentioned special german rum cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 There's some advice here from a German cook: http://www.marions-kochbuch.com/recipe/2610.htm She also mentions making sure the fruit is submerged, to stop it spoiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I've had a rumtopf on the go for years, but last year had to change from my ceramic pot to a large glass jar as the rum " ate" through the glaze from the inside - and it oozed sticky brown liquid everywhere! The glass jar worked very well, but I had to keep it somewhere dark as otherwise the colour is not so good. I've just come back from hols with a duty free bottle of rum so must get on with this year's version! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
