Plum Fritters Food

PLUM FRITTERS

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. Make a well in the center and add 3 egg yolks and 1/2 cup ice water. Gradually blend the liquid into the flour mixture until almost smooth. Stir in the plum brandy. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a wide, shallow bowl, combine the cinnamon with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks.
• Fold the whipped egg whites into the batter. In a heavy saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat; it's hot enough when it quickly browns a small drop of batter. Coat the plum halves in the batter, then fry in the oil until puffed and golden, turning once. Use a splatter guard to prevent the juices from splattering. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to the bowl of cinnamon sugar. Roll them in the sugar, then set on a plate lined with paper towels. Eat warm or at room temperature.

DENESSE WILLEY'S FRESH PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease an 9-inch-by 13-inch baking pan. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flours, baking powder, salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Add 6 tablespoons cold butter and pulse until it is the consistency of corn meal. In a measuring cup, beat together the eggs and vanilla; add enough milk to make 1 cup. With the processor running, pour in milk mixture; a soft sticky dough will form. Scrape the dough into the pan, and with a greased spatula press the dough to cover the bottom of the pan. Press in the fruit, skin side down until it uniformly covers the dough. (Distribute the dough more evenly by pushing it with the fruit sections.) Sprinkle oatmeal over all. Distribute 1/2 cup sugar over the oatmeal. Sprinkle on spices. Dot with remaining 6 tablespoons cold butter.
• Bake about 25 minutes. Serve warm (but not hot) with ice cream for dessert. Refrigerate leftovers for breakfast.

PLUMS WITH VANILLA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine plums, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla seeds and 2 tablespoons water. Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until plums give up their juice and soften, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasoning, adding more sugar, lemon zest or vanilla if desired.
• Let cool 20 minutes. Serve with ice cream, crème fraîche or yogurt sorbet.

BRANDIED PLUMS

Steps:

• Boil a stockpot of water as deep as the shoulder of a 2-quart jar with hinged lid.
• Wash and stem plums. Prick several holes around stem ends. Pack plums in jar. Quarter and pit plums that don't fit in jar and re-pack, placing quartered pieces in gaps that form between whole plums. Add cinnamon stick.
• In a 2-quart saucepan or skillet, bring sugar, salt and 1 cup water to a boil, then turn to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 10 minutes, stir in brandy. Immediately pour the liquid into jar up to 1/2-inch from the rim.
• Partly close jar, to leave gap for steam to escape, and place in pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Carefully remove jar with jar lifter or 2 tongs and close the lid tightly. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

PLUM TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. If using smaller, halved plums, use a paring knife to cut a 3/4-inch slit through the top of each half, from the tip of the plum to just above where the pit should be. (This will allow the liquid from the plums to evaporate during baking instead of settling into the pit cavity.)
• Place pastry shell on a sheet pan or baking sheet. Spread crumbs or crumble topping over bottom of pastry shell in an even layer. Arrange plums in tight concentric circles in pastry shell, skin-side down, beginning with rim of the pan and standing plums up slightly.
• Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle 2 tablespoons over plums. Place in oven and bake 45 minutes, or until tips of plums have colored; plums should retain their shape. Remove from heat, on baking sheet, and allow to cool on a rack.
• Once plums have cooled, sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture over the fruit. Alternatively, heat jam in a small saucepan until runny and, instead of sprinkling fruit with sugar, gently brush cooled plums with jam to glaze.