Plum Crisp

Over 40 plums arrived in my CSA (community supported agriculture) box this week. Looking at the abundance of beautiful fruit, I thought of a lovely plum crisp. I actually took a full twenty-four hours to decide if wanted brandy or almond extract in my crisp. I went with brandy . . . I'm glad I did.

I tossed the plums in some organic whole cane sugar, honey, and arrowroot until the plums began to soften and the juices thickened. The topping is a rustic mixture of flour, oats, almonds, whole cane sugar, and butter. Next time I might just make the topping, bake it, and eat it by itself.  Who needs plums, right?

 

When the crisp came out of the oven, the kids were outside riding bikes with friends so I sat alone, enjoyed the silence, and ate a bowl of sweet and sour plum crisp. If you need a little breather this week, slide a batch of these in the oven and then enjoy a little solitude with a wholesome bowl of goodness.


Plum Crisp
If you'd like to make individual servings simply spoon an equal amount of cooked plums into 6 8-ounce ramekins and top with oat mixture. Serves 6

1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup organic whole cane sugar or Sucanat
3/4 cups rolled oats
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small dice-size pieces

3 pounds plums, pitted and cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup organic whole cane sugar
1/4 cup light honey
4 teaspoons arrowroot
1 tablespoon brandy

Preheat oven to 350°F and adjust rack to middle position. Place almond meal, flour, sugar, 1/2 cup oats, maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add butter and pulse until dough begins to come together and is moistened. If the dough looks dry, add a tablespoon of water.  Pour dough into a small bowl and stir in remaining 1/4 cup oats.

Place plums, sugar, and honey in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Stir in arrowroot and cook until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.  Take off heat and stir in brandy. 

Pour cooked plums into a 11 x 7-inch baking dish and top evenly with oat mixture.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until bubbling. Cool 10 minutes before serving.