I saw the most beautiful Empress plums at Fairway supermarket and couldn’t resist them. Empress are the ones that look like giant Italian prune plums and they’re sometimes called President plums. In my opinion they are the best variety for pies and crisps.
I bought several pounds because they have a short season and frankly I was surprised there were any left.
Got my freezer packed with a plum pie and a plum cake plus a couple of plum crumble/crisps, including this one:
Plum Crumble with Coconut and Bread Crumb Crust
Filling:
2-1/2 pounds Empress plums or Italian prune plums
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Topping:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash and halve the plums and remove the pits. Cut the plums into pieces. Combine the plums with the sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and lemon juice and mix well. Stir in the flour and place the fruit mixture into a baking dish. Set aside. Make the topping: Melt the butter and set it aside in a bowl. Place the bread crumbs in a bowl. Add the coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and toss ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the melted butter. Mix to coat the crumbs. Sprinkle over the plums. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crusty. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 8 servings