1. Place prunes, 1 cup of water, sweetener if you're using it (start with about 2 tablespoons, prunes are sweet!), and salt in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

2. Simmer the prune-water mixture, stirring frequently, until prunes begin to break down. If liquid gets low, add more water about ¼ cup at a time. Using your stirring spoon, gently crush the prunes against the bottom and side of the pot. The simmering process takes about 25 minutes.

3. Taste Prune Jam and adjust with additional sweetener and/or salt. Use a fork to further smash the prunes until you get to a jam consistency you like. It should have some texture. Do not blend or process the mixture; it will turn into a fruit butter, which isn't bad, but that's a different recipe.

4. Keep Prune Jam in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week, if you can hold yourself back for that long. (This is not a "canned" or preserved jam so it should be refrigerated!)