Plum and Almond Crisp

This summer I’ve discovered Italian prune plums. A few weeks ago a merchant at our farmers’ market recommended them to me for jam making. Their purple skins hide a greenish yellow interior, creating a rather mundane appearance when raw. And I know– their name is not that exciting. But when you cook them, they transform into jeweled-hued fruit that is simultaneously sweet and tart. And they are perfect for a plum and almond crisp.

A few years ago, my friend Marci introduced me to this crisp recipe, first published in The Gourmet Cookbook in 2004.  I love the headnote of the recipe, which praises prune plums because “they need no peeling, they slice in a trice, and when topped with a nutty crumble and baked in a hot oven, they bubble up into a glorious dessert.” That is prune plum praise, if I ever heard it.

The fruit filling comes together as quickly as the plums are pitted and sliced (in a trice). A mixture of brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, lemon juice, and butter added to the plums creates a filling that showcases the fruit flavor.

The “nutty crumble” mentioned above is made from a blend of almonds, flour, sugar, and an egg—a twist on the usual butter-rich roofs of most fruit crisps. In fact, only two tablespoons of butter are used in this dessert. I reduced the amount of sugar used in the topping by 1/4 and found the sweetness level just right. Also, I substituted a gluten-free flour mix for all-purpose flour and was pleased with the results.

The food processor helps to blend the topping ingredients quickly.

A sprinkling of sliced almonds decorates the top and adds further crunch.

When the crisp comes out of the oven, the beautiful magenta filling is gently bubbling beneath the topping and the smell of toasted nuts and cinnamon fills the house.

A while later, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, the prune plums of summer indeed are glorious.

Plum Almond Crisp

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie

Gently spiced plums beneath a crumbly nut topping

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

For the filling

• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 pounds plums --preferably prune plums, pitted and sliced into sixths
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into bits

For the topping

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose or gluten-free blend flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds (or 3 ounces) , divided—see below
• 1 large egg lightly beaten

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

For the filling

• Stir together the brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Place the plums in a large bowl and sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over, stirring to blend. Add the lemon juice and butter pieces and stir to combine.
• Transfer the plum mixture to a shallow 3 quart baking dish.

For the topping

• Put aside 1/4 cup of the sliced almonds.
• In a food processor, use on/off pulses to combine the granulated sugar, flour, salt, and 1/2 cup of the sliced almonds until the nuts are ground rather finely.
• Add the beaten egg to the flour-nut mixture and use on/off pulses to combine.
• Spoon the flour-nut-egg mixture over the plum filling. Top the crust with the remaining 1/4 cup of sliced almonds.
• Bake the crisp for 50-55 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling.
• Cool the crisp on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature

Notes

Vanilla ice cream is a perfect accompaniment.

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook, edited by Ruth Reichl