Plums , plums and more PLUMS
By: Deja Oliver
What is a Plum ?
A plum is a drupe fruit. Plums belong to the Prunus genus of plants. It is closely related to a peach, nectarine and almond. They are fruits that have a hard stone pit surrounding their seeds. A plum is about the size of a tomato , measuring about 5-6 cm in diameter and weigh about 50-70 g. A plum is juicy and varies widely from creamy yellow, crimson, light-blue or light-green in color depending on where it came from. Plums contain minerals like potassium, fluoride and iron.
Plum Tart
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), diced
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 pounds firm, ripe Italian prune plums, pitted and quartered lengthwise
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine the flour, walnuts, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and the egg yolk. Mix, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until crumbly.
Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch springform or tart pan. Arrange the plums in the pan, skin side down, to form a flower pattern; begin at the outside and work your way in.
Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums. Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer the tart to a flat plate. Serve warm or at room temperature
Plum Raspberry Crumble
Ingredients
- 2 pounds red plums, cut in 1/2, pitted, and cut in 1-inch wedges
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, plus extra for sprinkling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the sliced plums, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of the flour, and the orange juice and toss well. Add the raspberries and toss lightly. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish.
For the topping, place the remaining 1 cup of flour, the remaining 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Pour the mixture into a bowl, add the oats, and work it with your hands until it's in large crumbles. Add 1/2 cup of the almonds and mix well.
Spread the topping evenly over the plums, making sure the fruit is covered. Sprinkle with some extra almonds. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Plum Cornbread
Ingredients
Plums:
- 4 to 6 black plums (if they are large, use 4, if they are small use 6), sliced
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Cornbread:
- 1/2 stick melted butter, plus extra for baking pan
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the plums and sugar and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch cast iron skillet or an 8 by 8-inch square baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. In another mixing bowl, combine all the wet ingredients and whisk to thoroughly combine. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Mix gently to combine. When the mixture has just come together, transfer it to the prepared skillet or baking pan. Sprinkle the plums in an even layer over the top of the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting. Serve topped with vanilla ice cream