Christmas Eve prune soup: 250 g prunes, cinnamon and sour cream

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Cook the prunes with the spices

   Rinse the prunes in a strainer under running water and place them in a pot. Pour in 1.2 l cold water and add the cinnamon stick and cloves.

   Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the prunes are soft.

2. Season the soup

   Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves from the soup. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt and stir. Adjust the amount of sugar to the prunes—some are sweeter than others, so taste the soup first.

3. Thicken with sour cream

   In a bowl, whisk the sour cream and flour until smooth. While stirring constantly, pour in 2 ladlefuls of hot soup.

   Pour the mixture into the pot and simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, until the soup thickens and the flour is cooked through.

4. Serve

   Serve the soup warm, leaving the prunes whole. The soup will thicken further as it cools—add a little water as needed when reheating.

Tip: If the prunes are hard, soak them in cold water for an hour beforehand and cook them in the same water—they will soften faster and give the soup a fuller flavor.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Slivková polievka na Štedrý večer: 250 g sušených sliviek, škorica a kyslá smotana