Recipes Using Italian Prune Plums Food

ITALIAN PLUM TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a sheet pan. Place the plums, tapioca, creme de cassis, and 3/4 cup of the sugar in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and remaining 1 cup of sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until it forms small, dry crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of cold water and continue to beat for about 30 seconds, until the mixture forms large, moist crumbs. Set aside 3/4 cup of the crumb mixture and pour the rest into the springform pan. With floured hands, lightly pat the dough evenly in the bottom of the pan and 1 inch up the sides. Arrange the plums in concentric circles on the crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly on top. Bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the crust is golden. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.

PLUM TARTS

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Combine flour, butter, sugar, salt, and zest in a food processor and pulse until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Add yolks and process just until incorporated and mixture begins to clump.
• Turn mixture out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. Smear each portion once with heel of your hand in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather together 2 portions of dough and form into a ball; make another ball with other 2 portions.
• Pat out each ball of dough with floured fingertips into a tart pan, in an even 1/4-inch layer on bottom and up sides (about 1/8 inch above rim). Chill 30 minutes, or until firm.
• Make filling while shells chill:
• Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add plums and lemon juice and toss to coat. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes, or until juicy.
• Assemble and bake tarts:
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Arrange plum halves, skin sides down, in tart shells, overlapping in a rosette pattern (see photo, opposite). Halve any remaining plums lengthwise and randomly tuck in between plum halves in tarts. Pour all juices from bowl over plums.
• Bake tarts in middle of oven 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375°F. Cover tarts loosely with foil and bake until plums are tender and juices are bubbling and slightly thickened, 40 to 50 minutes more. Brush warm juices in tart over plums. (Juices will continue to thicken as tarts cool.) Cool tarts completely in pans on a rack.

ORIGINAL PLUM TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
• Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
• Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)

ROASTED ITALIAN PLUMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss plums in a large bowl with sugar and butter; place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until plums are cooked through and caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve.

ITALIAN FRESH PRUNE PLUM BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Lightly grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Add the orange rind and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, cream of tartar and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients and sour cream alternately to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
• Stir in the nuts and plums. Divide the batter between the two loaf pans.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let the pans cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then turn the loaves out of the pans and cool completely on the rack. Makes 2 loaves.
• Lucy Waverman's Cooking School Cookbook.

SPICED ITALIAN PLUMS (PRUNES) IN PORT

Steps:

• Cut plums in half and remove pit. Combine sugar, water, orange peel, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer a few minutes. Add plums, a layer at a time to heat through, about 2 minutes. Remove plums from syrup.
• Pack hot plums into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
• Repeat with remaining plums.
• Reheat syrup to a boil. Remove from heat; discard cinnamon sticks. Stir in port.
• Pour over plums, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. (add a few cloves and pieces of orange peel to each jar). Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps.
• Process 20 minutes in boiling water bath.