Plum Pie — in all it’s many variations — is a staple of German summer baking (recipe for this variation here: . I swear that “As American as Apple Pie…” could apply to Germans and their plum cakes also known as Pflaumenkuchen, Zwetschgenkuchen, Zwetschgendatschi. Mostly they are made from Italian Prune Plums (damson plums), but in this case, I used little “purple cherry plums” — small and very juicy. Tart and sweet, and very delicious.
Ingredients
for the pastry
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, very cold
3-6 tablespoons ice cold water
for the crumble
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) butter, cubed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
for the filling
2 pounds small purple cherry plums, halved
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoon corn starch
8- or 9- inch tart pan with a removable bottom
Directions
Prepare your crust: In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter, blending until the mixture resembles coarse sand (with some larger pieces of butter). Add in three tablespoons of the ice water, using a fork to mix the dough together. Add more water, one tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together in a slightly crumbly ball. Turn the dough out to a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to shape the dough into a flattened disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours (up to 24 hours).
For the crumble, line a 1/4 sheet pan with parchment or silpat. Note that you will be baking the crumble separate from the pie, as the plums are quite juicy and the crumble might just turn into a gooey mess. Whisk together the sugar, flour, spices and salt. Cut in the butter with your fingers or a fork until it looks like coarse sand. Take a handful of the mixture and ball it into your first, dropping it onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat a number of times, as you are trying to create some larger, some smaller crumbles. Spread all the crumble mixture out and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 400F. On a lightly floured counter, roll out your pie dough to 1/4 inch thick. Spray a tart pan with baking spray and then line with the rolled out dough, removing any excess and making a pretty rim. Refrigerate the crust until ready to fill.
For the filling, cut the plums in half and remove the pits. In a work bowl, combine sugar, lemon juice and corn starch. When filling your pie shell, arrange the plums neatly. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet, in case of leaks, and place both the tart and the pan with the crumble into the oven. Bake the crumble for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Bake pie for 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes before sprinkling the crumble on top. After cooking completely, remove from the tart pan and serve immediately.
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