Sugarplums

Take the stones from the plums, damaging the fruit as little as possible. Boil the sugar and water together until it drops in beads from a spoon. Drop in the plums and simmer until they become transparent. Lift them out, drain off the syrup and put them on flat dishes. Leave for 24 hrs. and then boil them again in the syrup. Lift out and put onto a wire cakerack. Dry at 250F/120C for 6 hours. Pack in tins with greaseproof paper between the layers.