Writer's Block: The only dessert you need in March ... and April
By jo elwin
When the neighbourhood gives you trees glowing with apricots you make jam, even though you’re not a jam eater and have more important things (writing) to do. The process is consistently easy – fruit and sugar into pot, leave to boil. Success not so.
I’m yet to make a jam that has a ‘good’ set but I’m okay with that because I have a tendency to freak out at the mountain of sugar required and don’t put it all in, with the understanding that it won’t set the same and I will store it in the fridge rather than on display in pretty jars on the shelf. I also gathered a tip from the awesome team at Webb’s Fruit to store it in a container in the freezer, taking some out when needed. It doesn’t freeze solid and it works perfectly because I can get it out when we have guests who enjoy eating it rather than forcing the two of us to eat it.
I always halve and stone a good quantity and freeze them free flow for cakes, desserts and breakfast compotes. A friend up the hill dries them on racks under the hot Central sun – no dehydrator necessary.
Come autumn we will be planting a few trees of our own because a Bannockburn garden is not complete without them. There will be Moorparks because people who seriously know their fruit around here all say they have the best flavour, but I love my Sundrops and Clutha Golds too, so maybe I’ll mix them up. There will also be peaches, nectarines and plums – all of which can be jammed or frozen for later use in the same way.
But first there’s the small matter of irrigation – now there’s something that keeps me away from writing – carting wheelbarrows of water around the trees we have already planted to give the fruit trees some shelter from the evil wind. But the architect assures me it’s underway – just a small matter of getting the ridiculously busy plumber, electrician and digger to all be available on the same day. Ha!
Not-what-you-think plum pudding
This everyone-loves-it dessert is on heavy rotation through stonefruit season using excess fruit to hand – apricots, peaches, nectarines, greengages and apples and pears work well, but my favourite is Black Doris plums because of the rich colour and the tart fruit offsets the sweet batter perfectly. Whenever anyone wants the recipe I usually say, “easy, just pour your favourite cake batter over a pan of lightly-roasted fruit and bake.” Here’s a more specific variation for you, using my favourite cake batter from New Home Cooking by Laurie Black.
12 red plums
4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp vanilla paste
3 eggs
250g sugar
250g flour
1 tsp baking powder
180g butter, melted
1 Heat oven to 180C. Cut plums in half and remove the stone (a small sharp knife is best for this). Lay in the bottom of a greased, deep-sided baking dish (approx. 20cm x 30cm) and sprinkle over 4 Tbsp sugar (more or less to suit taste) and spices. Bake until fruit is just beginning to collapse and weep colour.
2 Meanwhile beat the eggs and 250g sugar together until pale and foamy. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold into the egg mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the melted butter. Don’t overmix.
3 Pour this batter over the dish of baked plums and cook in the oven for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
4 Slice warm for dessert or leave to cool in the tin before slicing and storing in an airtight container for a day or two maximum.
5 Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Change the spices out to match the fruit. I like cardamom with plum but quite often just go with vanilla for nectarines and peaches. Cinnamon for apples and pears. Have a play with your favourite flavours and try adding a little citrus zest here and there.
For any of you following the lack of kitchen escapade, I do manage to cook this in the hooded barbecue, setting the tin on a rack (to elevate away from heat) in the middle with just the two outside burners on. Check it regularly and rotate a few times during cooking.
