Plums - roasted , a compote, crumble or tart!
Compôte of plums in spiced rosemary syrup
Delicious served on their own, warm or cold, with vanilla ice cream or made into a tart or crumble
Serves 4
Roasted plums with balsamic blueberries (les myrtilles)
There is a pick your own myrtilles farm near here and they are always sold on the market when in season. They are smaller than the imported blueberries but definitely as tasty. The good frozen food stores sell packs of Bio Wild Myrtilles which are a good standby.
Ingredients : Serves 4
Plum Tart
Both these plum recipes could be made into a tart.
I would use a ready prepared pastry already rolled into a circle suitable for making a large tart.
Line the tart tin and bake blind - the pastry is wrapped in a paper and you can use this to cover the pastry , prick the base of the tart first, pour in some baking beans or actual dried beans. Cook in a preheated oven, 180°C for 10 mins, remove the beans and paper and cook for another 5 mins or until the base is cooked - you don't want a soggy bottom!
Remove from the oven - allow to cool and then fill with the plum mixture - you don't want too much juice.
There are many varieties of plums sold on the markets - I just buy them in season - they are all delicious.
Plum Crumble
I have more than one crumble recipe and you could use any one of them with the plum mixture. It is possible to cook the crumble mixture on a large baking tray lined with paper (15mins at 190°C) and then spread the mixture on the fruit just before serving - this means the crumble stays crunchy and doesn't absorb too much of the plum or fruit syrup. You can make one large crumble to share or make individual crumbles in ramekin dishes.
For 6 people (6 individual ramekins)
Spoon your fruit mixture into the individual pot, cover with the crumble mixture and cook for 30mins.
Another Crumble: to be cooked separately
And one more: goes well with pears and apples.
Delicious served on their own, warm or cold, with vanilla ice cream or made into a tart or crumble
Serves 4
- 150ml red wine
- 50g caster sugar
- Sprig of rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 strip each of lemon and orange zest
- 2 whole cloves
- 5cm piece of cinnamon stick
- 500g red plums, halved and stoned
- Bring first 7 ingredients to the boil and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Add the plums and cover with a lid. Cook gently until the plums are just tender.
- Remove the plums and set aside. If wished, boil the juices to reduce to a syrup. Pour over the plums and serve warm or cold with ice cream or Greek yoghurt.
- You can make a smooth compôte by passing the cooked plums through a metal sieve and then mix in the thickened syrup, this could be served with a homemade panacotta.
Roasted plums with balsamic blueberries (les myrtilles)
There is a pick your own myrtilles farm near here and they are always sold on the market when in season. They are smaller than the imported blueberries but definitely as tasty. The good frozen food stores sell packs of Bio Wild Myrtilles which are a good standby.
Ingredients : Serves 4
- 1 tbsp of butter at room temperature
- 75g of golden caster sugar plus 2 tbsp
- 6 -8 plums halved and stoned
- 1 vanilla pod - halved lengthwise and widthways
- 200g of blueberries
- 5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Heat the oven to 180°C.
- Choose a n ovenproof dish that will hold the plum halves in a single layer
- Rub the butter all over the base and sprinkle the 2tbsps of sugar on top.
- Scatter over the pieces of vanilla pieces (keep one back)
- Arrange the plums over the top, cut side down and drizzle 2 tbsp of water over the plums.
- Place in oven and roast for 10-15 mins or until the plums are really tender.
- Whilst the plums are roasting in a small pan combine the remaining sugar, the small piece of vanilla pod , the blueberries and the balsamic vinegar.
- Heat and allow to boil fiercely for 8 - 10 mins or until the blueberries are breaking down and a syrupy sauce has formed.
- Take off the heat.
- When the plums are cooked turn them over and pour the blueberry sauce all over them.
- Leave for at least 10mins - serve warm or at room temperature with cream, ice cream or fromage blanc
Plum Tart
Both these plum recipes could be made into a tart.
I would use a ready prepared pastry already rolled into a circle suitable for making a large tart.
Line the tart tin and bake blind - the pastry is wrapped in a paper and you can use this to cover the pastry , prick the base of the tart first, pour in some baking beans or actual dried beans. Cook in a preheated oven, 180°C for 10 mins, remove the beans and paper and cook for another 5 mins or until the base is cooked - you don't want a soggy bottom!
Remove from the oven - allow to cool and then fill with the plum mixture - you don't want too much juice.
There are many varieties of plums sold on the markets - I just buy them in season - they are all delicious.
Plum Crumble
I have more than one crumble recipe and you could use any one of them with the plum mixture. It is possible to cook the crumble mixture on a large baking tray lined with paper (15mins at 190°C) and then spread the mixture on the fruit just before serving - this means the crumble stays crunchy and doesn't absorb too much of the plum or fruit syrup. You can make one large crumble to share or make individual crumbles in ramekin dishes.
For 6 people (6 individual ramekins)
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- 75g unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 110g of light brown sugar
- 75g of plain flour (try rye flour or a mixture of plain flour and chestnut flour)
- 40g of dessicated coconut
Spoon your fruit mixture into the individual pot, cover with the crumble mixture and cook for 30mins.
Another Crumble: to be cooked separately
- 120g plain flour
- 60g caster sugar
- 60g unslated butter
And one more: goes well with pears and apples.
- 100g butter chilled
- 150g plain flour sifted
- ½tsp ground cinnamon
- 75g unrefined demerara sugar
- 75g ground almonds
- Pinch of salt