Plums are everywhere at the moment. Bargains to be had at the market. Heavily laden trees at the allotment and neighbours offering us as many as I would like to take. I am keen to plant a greengage tree, the colour and taste of this beautiful fruit is something I love to enjoy in France so it’s definitely on the bare root fruit tree list for this year.
We have been given free rein to a neighbour’s damson tree at the allotment, so damson gin has been made with jam to follow, and I am quite taken by the sound of Damson Cheese too. Victoria plums are so naturally sweet and juicy that they do get eaten happily in our house but it’s always good to have a baked pudding idea to use up those plums that have turned slightly squishy, as Victoria plums tend to turn very quickly.
I decided on a way to cook these plums. And that is by using a bun tin. Each half plum fits perfectly into a bun tin mould snugly and cooks in a matter of minutes. Ten to twelve as any longer and the plums will begin to dissolve if over ripe. I topped them with a sort of crumble biscuit mix created out of some Ginger nut crumbs I had in the freezer but Speculoos biscuit crumbs may taste even better. Adding “healthy” additions, I opted for oats, nuts and seeds with a smidge of butter and brown sugar.
This is a sweet dish that could be put together at the last minute by a collection of ingredients you may have in your cupboard but feel free to substitute bits and pieces with whatever you have. Any biscuit crumbs would work as long as you keep the ratio of butter to dry mix the same. Seeds and nuts provide the crunch texture that I do love and a sprinkle of cinnamon or ground ginger would also be welcome here.
I am linking this dish to One Ingredient “Plums” this month which I co-host with Nazima at Franglais Kitchen.
I am sending it over to Mark, The Javelin Warrior at Cookin’ w/Luv “Made with love on Mondays“.
I’m also adding it to Four Seasons Food “Sliding into Autumn” jointly hosted by Anneli at Delicieux and Louisa at Eat Your Veg.
Also linking to The No Waste Food Challenge “Anything Goes” over at Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary and organised by Kate at Turquoise Lemons.
This also fits into the Credit Crunch Munch challenge as it uses up ingredients I had and needed to use up plus the plums were free. The challenge is run by Camilla at Fab Food 4 All and Helen at Fuss Free Flavours and this month’s host is Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary.
Baked Plums with a Ginger & Almond Topping
Ingredients
- 6 Victoria plums
- 40 g Ginger nut/Speculoos biscuit crumbs
- 20 g Butter cubed
- 25 g Oats
- 1 tbsp Light soft brown sugar
- 1 tsp Mixed seeds optional I used a mixture of linseed, sesame, sunflower & pumpkin,
- 1 tsp Flaked almonds
- Cinnamon or ground to sprinkle on top
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees,
Cut the plums in half, remove the stone and place each plum half into the bun/fairy cake tin,
Combine the ginger biscuit crumbs with the butter and using your fingers rub in the mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs,
Add in the brown sugar and the oats,
Scatter the mixture over the plums, patting it down firmly with the palm of your hands,
Top with seeds and almonds as swell as some cinnamon or ground ginger if you like,
Bake for 10-12 minutes,
Serve with custard, cream or ice cream.
Have just made fridge plum jam and also some chutney as my plum tree surprised me with a fab crop. These look lovely and a tasty way of using leftovers.
Oh how brilliant, jam and chutney is a great result. Pleased you had a bumper crop!
Lovely idea – like little individual crumbles! We don’t have a plum tree (yet) but I can usually swap some apples or pears for plums… now I have a good reason to get hold of some soon.
Being able to swap fruits is a real bonus. We are lucky at the allotment and are amazed at how much os left on the trees and not harvested. The plums are everywhere!
I too love Victoria Plums and have been snacking on them this evening:-) These tasty treats look delicious like a little hand held crumble, thank you for entering Credit Crunch Munch.
Great snack Camilla, plums are a fruit I love because they are so versatile 🙂
Just mouthwatering…looks delicious!
Hi Kalyan, thanks for visiting and pleased you like the plum recipe!
Love victoria plums- such a wonderful fragrant sweet flavour, and especially so good in a pudding! This is much easier than a cake (i’m no baker) and shows off the best of a plum- good one Laura!
Yes, Shu Han, so much easier than making a cake. Just a matter of crumbling and topping with a mixture of things you love!
I just love this idea! Cooking them individually like that, each with it’s own yummy crumbly topping. How easy, quick and delicious. My Mum has 4 plum trees in her garden so always has more plums than anyone could ever use. I shall certainly steal some and try this. Thanks for entering this into Four Seasons Food! x
How lucky to have access to so many plum trees. I recommend this way of baking them so the don’t all merge into one mass in the oven!
Thanks Laura for your recent comment on my blog – such a nice thing to say!
Really like the idea of having individual plumb puddings and how novel to add speculoos to the topping. A lovely seasonal recipe!
Thanks Jac, I love using biscuit crumbs as have loads in the freezer. Saw Sarah coming back from France with Speculoos crumbs and thought they are such a good idea!
Very nice and very clever idea Laura. One for cooking with kids for sure. Such a lovely idea and great as a base for different ideas. I saw a recipe for meringue topped baked stone fruit recently but that seems more summery and this more suitable for the current time of year.
We’ve gone for a similarly aromatic and vaguely healthy twist on plums as pudding. I love how quick yours is and can imagine that figs or pear would be a lovely substitute now that Victorias are on their way out (sniff). My tree wasn’t terribly prolific so we mainly ate them and just made a few things. Nothing like sun-warmed fruit from your own garden or allotment, but supermarket fruit is just fine in lovely baked recipes such as this.
PS putting this in bun tins is a very clever idea. No fighting from the kiddos about portion sizes!
What a fab idea for quickie tasty puds! And plums are so abundant right now, it’s hard to find enough ways to use them. Loving the idea of baking them in bun tins too.
What a great pudding idea and a lovely delicious way to use up some of a glut of plums. Thank you for sharing with both the No Waste Food Challenge and Credit Crunch Munch!
Found your site and recipe on the No Waste Food Challenge. Great submission and beautiful pictures. Love the individual size portion!
Thanks Tina, I didn’t even know I was on there. Shall have to take a look and will pop over to visit your site too!