Plum sweet treats
Sometimes, it’s not juicy fruit you’re after, but it’s firmer friends, writes
We are in the midst of the plum season. A fruit that comes in many varieties, some super juicy, others firmer fleshed. It is the firmer plums that I seek out for cooking. The likes of omega and black doris, or even prune plums (zwetschgen) with their ultra-dry texture. The juicier plums such as luisa and santa rosa are best suited to eating fresh with the juices running down your chin.
Using firmer-fleshed plums in bakes such as the ones I share here works perfectly as they cook and soften in a similar cooking time as the cake crumb or pastry. There is also no concern about a soggy crumb that can come with the juicier varieties. Note that the tartness of plums can vary so a sprinkle of sugar is recommended. Always check the taste of the plums first and add a little extra sweetness if needed.
Plum brown butter cakes
The base of these cakes can be used with any seasonal fruit topping – stone fruit, berries, thin slices of apple or pear, or even rhubarb. Keep it on hand for use through the seasons. The browned butter adds an extra depth of flavour and works particularly well with rich-flavoured fruit such as dark-fleshed plums. The cake batter can also be prepared as an upsidedown plum cake. To do this, line the base of a 22cm cake tin with baking paper. Generously rub the base with butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Arrange halved plums cut side down to snugly cover the base. Pour over the prepared batter and bake for 30-35 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Invert on to a rack and leave to cool.
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Makes 10 cakes
■ About 6 omega plums, cut into eighths (or
similar firm-fleshed plums)
■ 100g butter
■ 3 free-range eggs
■ ¼ cup sugar + extra for sprinkling
■ 1 tsp vanilla extract
■ ½ cup (75g) plain flour
■ ½ cup (60g) ground almonds (or use ¾
cup total flour)
■ 1 tsp baking powder
1. Heat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Generously grease 10 muffin holes with melted butter. If you are concerned about the stickability of your muffin trays line with paper cups.
2. Prepare the plums and set aside.
3. Place the butter into a saucepan and melt over a moderate low heat. Cook gently, swirling the pan regularly, until the milk solids separate and turn a dark golden brown. The melted butter will smell nutty and glorious at this stage. Don’t go far as the milk solids can burn easily. Remove from the heat and leave to cool while whisking the eggs.
4. Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla into a stand mixer, or use a handheld beater and large bowl. Whisk on a moderate speed for 6-8 minutes until the mixture has tripled in volume and has reached ribbon stage.
5. In a bowl combine the flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Mix to remove lumps.
6. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add a third of the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula until incorporated. Add the remaining flour and fold again until just combined. A few splotches of flour in the mix is fine.
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin trays to fill each hole by two-thirds. Top each with 3-4 plum wedges and sprinkle with sugar (adding extra sugar if the plums are tart).
8. Place in the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the cakes have risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Wait 5 minutes then use the tip of a sharp knife to loosen the sides of the cakes and transfer to a cooling rack.
9. Serve the warm cakes with yoghurt. Store extra cakes in an airtight container and consume within 2 days.
Plum and hazelnut frangipane tart
I make a version of this frangipane tart through the seasons. It can be topped with any number of seasonal fruits. Some favourites include stone fruit in summer, figs in autumn, pears in winter, and rhubarb in spring. I currently have an omega plum tree that has fruited abundantly so here it is with plums. The nuts in the frangipane can also be mixed up – hazelnut and dark fleshed plum are a wonderful match, or use the traditional ground almonds for lighter flavoured fruits. On the pastry front I like to use Paneton flaky pastry as it is made with butter and just tastes better. Ask your supermarket to order it in if it does not stock it. Or, if you want to make homemade pastry, which I will do when I have the time, I recommend making a flaky yoghurt pastry.
Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 15-20 minutes Serves: 8
Hazelnut frangipane
■ ¾ cup (90g) ground hazelnuts or almonds
(or a combination of both)
■ 1 tbsp flour
■ 75g soft butter
■ 3 tbsp sugar or honey
■ 1 free-range egg
■ About 300g pre-rolled flaky pastry ■ 6-8 omega plums, cut into eighths
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). If you have a pizza stone, place this on the middle shelf of the oven to preheat. This will heat up and assist in cooking the base of the pastry. A heavy baking tray can also be used.
2. Make the frangipane. Place the ingredients into a food processor and blend together until combined and creamy.
3. Place the pre-rolled pastry on to a sheet of baking paper, aiming for dimensions of about 25cm by 40cm (if using homemade, roll out to these dimensions). Fold over and press the edge of the pastry to make a border and prick the base generously with a fork – this will prevent the base puffing up too much during cooking.
4. Use a spatula (or even better an offset spatula) to spread the frangipane paste evenly over the pastry base. Arrange the plum wedges in even lines with space between each for even cooking.
5. Use a large chopping board or flat cookie tray to transfer the tart to the oven, holding the edge of the paper to slide it on to the hot pizza stone or tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden and the plums soft.
6. Transfer the tart to a large chopping board. Cool for 10 minutes then cut into squares. Serve with yoghurt or ice cream on the side. Store leftovers in the fridge, reheating in a warm oven to serve.
Nicola Galloway is an award-winning food writer, cookbook author and culinary tutor. homegrown-kitchen.co.nz