The first Victoria plums are making an appearance in our shops. Victorias have been Britain’s most popular plum almost since they were discovered in the early 19th century, as they’re sweet, juicy and equally good for cooking or eating. Best of all, we love to eat them fresh with may be a dollop of Greek yoghurt, but they’re also delicious in summer puddings.
Here are a few of our favourites:
Plum custard tart
1. Plum custard tart
This has a lovely caramelised flavour, and is very simple to make (particularly if you cheat a little with some shop-bought short cuts)
You’ll need (to serve 4 to 6)
- 1 packet ready-rolled sweet shortcrust pastry, or homemade
- 8 to 12 Victoria plums, depending on size
- 400g tin custard, or make your own
- 2 heaped tablespoons cornflour
- water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons jam, preferably plum but any dark fruit would work
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade. Line a 20cm shallow pie dish with the pastry, pressing it well into the sides of the dish. Prick the bottom all over with a fork. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the pastry’s just beginning to colour.
Meanwhile, put the custard in a pan and bring to the boil. Mix the cornflour with a little water until it forms a smooth paste, and pour into the custard, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Spoon into the pastry shell, and smooth out with the back of a spoon.
Wash the plums and cut them in half, removing the stones. Lay them on the custard, cut side down, until the custard is completely covered. Melt the jam in the microwave, then pass it through a sieve. Use a pastry brush to brush the jam over the plums.
Put the dish back in the oven for another 10 minutes, until the jam is starting to bubble and colour. Remove and allow to cool completely before cutting and serving. Ideal partners for this would be Greek yoghurt, creme fraiche, pouring cream or vanilla ice cream with a little chopped mint for freshness.
Make plum crumble in individual portions for a dinner party
2. Summer plum crumble
Fruit crumble is just as delicious in summer, served warm rather than hot with ice cream.
You’ll need (to serve 6)
- 800g ripe Victoria plums
- 50g granulated sugar
- finely grated zest of one orange
- 250g plain flour
- 150g butter
- 160g demerara sugar
- 50g oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Wash the plums and cut them in half, removing the stone. Lay them on the bottom of a one litre ovenproof dish of any shape, and sprinkle over the granulated sugar and orange zest.
In a large mixing bowl, rub the butter into the flour with the tips of your fingers until there are no lumps of butter left. Stir in the sugar, oatmeal and cinnamon.
Spread the mixture evenly on top of the plums and bake in the oven for around 30 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling with plum juice. Allow to cool slightly before serving with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
This recipe is great for using a surfeit of plums
3. Plum compote
This lightly spiced compote is delicious served for breakfast with Greek yoghurt, or use it layered as part of a fruit ice cream sundae.
You’ll need (to serve 4 to 6)
- 25g butter
- 350g Victoria plums
- 40g Demerera sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- grated zest of one lemon
- 2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice
Wash and de-stone the plums and cut them into quarters. Heat the butter in a frying pan, and gently fry the plums until they start to colour but still retain their shape.
Reduce the heat, and add the remaining ingredients, gently simmering and stirring until the sugar’s dissolved and the plums have started to break down. Remove from the heat, and serve warm or cold.
By Sara Walker
