The fall always brings wonderful memories of Plum Kuchen.
Fall is a wonderful time to celebrate some of the ripening of Plums.
I don’t know how prevelant plums are in Germany, but they certainly were in my German grandma’s house in the fall.
I don’t recall in my friends houses cakes made with plums.
You can’t beat the wonderful purple color as well as deep rich flavor of the plum. It is not just another fruit in my eyes. It is very special.
So when I see ripe plums in the supermarket, especially the Damson plums which are very dark I get very excited about making Kuchen!
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The Pflaumen
This is what we see most in the supermarkets that is very roundand has a clinging pit
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The Zwetsche
is deeper purple and often narrower and has a freestone pit
and is often the plum of choice used in making prunes.
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Making Plum Kuchen
1/2 lb. Plums
about 10 oz. Sweet dough
Our recipe here
or use a 10 oz tube of crecent roll dough.
1 tsp grated Lemon rind ( half of a lemon)
Custard Filling
1/2 cup Sour cream
1 egg
2 Tblsp Vanilla Sugar
( may use sugar and 1 Tblsp vanilla extract )
Crumb topping ( Streusal Topping )
recipe follows
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Directions:
Cutting the plums is simple, Wash them and then cut in half, remove the seed and then cut into quarters.
Place in a large bowl where we will be able to toss some vanilla sugar with them.
I use here a bout 3 Tablespoons of vanilla sugar for a pound of cut plums. If they are not so ripe I use a bit more.
You can add sugar and vanilla exract also, to sweeten the plums to your taste.
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You can use any sweet dough recipe. I use about the size of a softball. (10 oz ) You don't have to be exact. Just don't use too much dough. When you roll it out and press it in the pan you want about 1/3 inch thickness, or the size of your little finger.
If I don't have time to make my own dough I find that a tin of the refrigerator crecent roll dough works well. Even biscuit dough works.
My grandmother's kuchen dough had grated lemon rind in it. I found that a few scratches of lemon on top of the dough as I have done here works well.
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Here I have put a layer of plums on. You don't have to line them up, I thought that would look nice and I had time.
Now let the dough rise for a bit. About 30 minutes to an hour.
One of the keys of a good fruit kuchen is like making pizza. You don't want too much topping, as it will not rise properly. If you want to add more plums do it after the kuchen has baked initially to set the crust.
Leave a thumbs width around the edge without fruit, this will make it's own ridge.
Now after it has risen bake it for 10 min. at 375 degrees. |
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While the PlumCake is baking make the custard topping.
1 beaten egg
1/3 C. sour cream or heavy whipping cream
1 TB. vanilla sugar, or 1 TB sugar and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Mix in a bowl until smooth |
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Make a Streusal or crumb topping by blending
1 TB softened butter
3 TB Flour
2 TB Brown sugar |
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Take the Plum Cake out after about 10 minutes or when the crust has risen and set a bit.
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Pour the custard and then the crumb topping on top.
Then sprinkle some Cinnamon on top of that, and a dusting of Vanilla sugar to |
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Bake the Plum Cake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the custard is set and nicely browned.
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To serve the Plum Cake I put a little of the plum juice that is created when you sugar the plums and let them sit a bit.
Then I top it here with whipped cream and ground vanilla.
Ice cream works well as a topping too!
This is a cake where the crust gets better as it sits. the filling seeps into the crust giving it a wonderful Plum infused flavor and tender but firm texture. |
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