WHEN MAKING PLUM DUMPLINGS USING PRUNE PLUMS,THOSE ARE THE SMALL ITALIAN PRUNE PLUMS,I FOUND TWO TIPS THAT ARE VERY USEFUL,NUMBER ONE USE A LONG NOSE PINCHERS TO REMOVE THE PIT,INSERT THE LONG NOSE IN THE STEM END GRAB HOLD OF THE PIT TURN SLIGHTLY AND PULL OUT THE PIT,NUMBER TWO,IF THE PLUMS ARE VERY RIPE AND SOFT YOU MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM SEALING THE DOUGH BECAUSE OF THE JUICE RUNNING ALL OVER,PUT THE PLUMS ON A COOKIE SHEET AND FREEZE THEN TILL THEY ARE FIRM ENOUGH TO WORK WITH,THIS WAY YOU CAN PRESS HARDER WHEN YOU ROLL THEM IN THE DOUGH,