Rachel Allen

Baking made easy

“Jam-packed with nutritional goodies, it’s a good idea to eat the skin too as it’s a great source of fibre”

The plum — which is perhaps the most autumnal fruit of all, not least in colour — is a seasonal cook’s dream. Whether they are baked into a buttery cake, simmered with sugar and spices to make jam, or sitting under sweet, crunchy crumble, plums are my fruit of choice right now.

They are jam-packed with nutritional goodies such as vitamins C, K and potassium — it’s also a good idea to eat the skin of the plum, as it’s a great source of dietary fibre. High in nutrients and rich in antioxidants, plums — or even more particularly, prunes, the dried version — are thought to have positive effects on bone health, too.

From the golden-yellow-fleshed Victoria plums to the deep blood-red Prunus

Salicina, also known as Japanese plums, there is a whole family out there to discover. The small, round, golden Mirabelles, which are the size of a large cherry, have been used for many years in France for flavouring liqueurs, as have sloes. The super-tart sloes, which are normally picked after the first frost, are pierced a few times with a pin before being added to a bottle with some gin and sugar, and left for at least six weeks — see my Top Tip, right.

The small, gorgeous blue-black damsons, which originated in the ancient city of Damascus, in Syria, are fabulous in jams, jellies and pies, too; while the

also known as the European plum, is the variety most commonly used for drying and turning into prunes.

Here’s a lovely recipe, right, for a Swedish plum cake. Use ripe, juicy plums to achieve the best result, then enjoy a slice with a cup of tea, or for dessert. The plum crumble recipe, far right, was inspired by a friend of mine, Sheila Black, whose method of using breadcrumbs in a crumble gives a lovely crunchy topping to the sweet cooked plums.

The stewed plums with saffron creme anglaise recipe, also far right, is from my book, Recipes From My Mother. It’s a divinely comforting treat, and the perfect way to finish off a Sunday lunch.