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Hi Guys, If you have been following some of my recipes here (Pasta and a Coffee Torte), you will know the style of food that I like to prepare - simple and delicious! Know also that I have checked my poll, and I know that the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is what we all really want, but good things take time, and you need to take advantage of what comes your way sometimes with food - In this case, yesterday I found a fruit store with a lot of really delicious looking plums at a price I couldn't ignore, so I decided to go with a Plum cake as my next recipe. This recipe, is the easiest cake recipe I know, and works a treat with these nice plums I bought... There are many version of this recipe too, many of them require a yeast dough - I'm avoiding that, because frankly, it is a lot more work, doesn't really taste any better and has a higher chance of failure - besides, I sometimes advise that these recipes are for idiots, so I will stick with that and my claim that ANYONE can pull this off. So first of all, a picture of what we are making. In my usual tradition, I will issue a warning - if you want to follow the journey, this is a bit of a spoiler, so don't look if you want to just follow what we are doing and be surprised! Up to you.  You didn't look did you? I'm so proud! INGREDIENTS (BASE) (The ingredients listed for the base will make TWO cakes - use HALF of what is listed here if you plan on just making one! - Your getting the double version here because I happen to be making two!) 4 eggs 200gm Margarine 200gm. Sugar (1 big cup!) 350grams self-raising flour (Educated Europeans and Americans know that this refers to plain flour with baking powder, but Australians are too lazy to do that, so we buy it pre-mixed - for the SAME price!). Rind of lemon & lime (optional) Vanilla extract (optional) Pinch or two of salt (TOPPING) Plums. Lots of plumbs. Slightly firm is best, red in colour. Sugar (Raw) (CRUMBLE) 100 grams of Butter 100 grams of Sugar 150 grams of plain flour Teaspoon of Cinnamon Allright! Let's get started! I like to prepare the ingredients we need in advance first, so I am going to start with a lemon and lime. While optional, this really makes the dish special. So by all means, ignore it if it is a lot of trouble, but if you can get it - USE IT. I recommend avoiding any artificial 'flavours' you can add to cakes for this. It just interferes too much. A lemon or so is perfect though.  I actually probably don't need that much. Oh well. I cut the tops of the lemons so it is easier to get the rind off them.    Do the same for the lime. So what we are left with is a heap of rind. I really don't need that much. I can freeze half for next time I guess.  These here are my plums.. Yum! I hate plum cakes that consist less of plums and more of cake, so I try to make a VERY generous plum cake, and that calls for quite a few plums! I like them a bit firm. Cutting them apart can be annoying. I find where the plum naturally parts, then split them from that point. See what I mean in the following picture.  Then twist.   Then carefully cut the stone out. If the plum is squishy, this can be harder than it needs to be.  I also have some golden plums. Oh well. In they go!  Right! With all that out of the way, we are going to make the base. This recipe is a "all in one". You just mix it all together, and that's it! These are the ingredients we will need. See that cup? I know it holds 200 grams. It works for flour and sugar, so I barely use a measuring cup anymore.  I'm going to use baking paper again for the spring tray.  Grease it with margarine.  Okay, I've put that to the side. May as well turn on the oven. The usual. 180 Degrees Celsius. That's 355 Fahrenheit. It's also a good idea to crack the four eggs and put them into a mug or something so it is easy to use then and there. Now, let's see. I need 200 grams of margarine, so divide the margarine container which holds 500 grams into 5... mmm....  That much. Dump it in.  Mix, slowly adding all the sugar (that's 200 grams!).  Add the eggs, one at a time.  That's done.  I'm now going to add about two tablespoons of vanilla extract (note that is extract!! Not essence! Extract is so much nicer and is 100% natural!).  Add the rind.  Now I'm going to use about 300-350grams of self raising flour, a bit at a time, and just mix away until it feels ... "right".  That looks about right. I added about 320grams this time I guess.  Pour it in.  Smooth it a bit.  Right. Now it is time for the topping. What I actually do, is I slice each half again, so I have four segments from each plum. So, make them about 1cm thick. You kind of want to.. half "bury" the plum segment in the dough.  Soon, you will end up with this...  So, is that enough you think?.... NO. It isn't. Pack it full.  Now sprinkle raw sugar on top. You need that sugar to counter the sourness of the plums.  Right. Time for the crumble. This is really easy. Here is what we are going to use.  Put it in the bowl. All the butter.  Mix it.  Mix it some more.  Sprinkle in a a chunky kind of manner onto the top of the cake.  Mmmmm..... Cook for 35 minutes. Inspect. Is it brown and crispy on top? No? It wasn't for me either, but another 10 minutes did it! You kind of want almost some bits slightly burned. They create an incredible flavour. When mine was done, it looked like this...  Okay, put it into the fridge to cool immediately. I would not remove the outside spring until it is cold. (allow several hours to pass). Okay, remove the cold cake (slightly warm is seriously yum too!). Whip some cream. Add sugar (I recommend vanilla sugar - you can make it yourself by adding vanilla bean pods to a small glass and adding white sugar to it, and letting it sit there permanently. Add new sugar and mix as you use it!).  Right! Our cream is whipped. Plate up, add a generous dollop of cream. Serve! It's, what can I say? Delicious. And one slice, was, unfortunately, not enough...  I hope you get a chance to try that yourself! If you liked it or have questions, please leave a comment. My other recipes are : - Authentic German Coffee Torte - http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3690414 - Pasta Fettuccine Carbonara (self made pasta, not authentic, but very easy!) - http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3690680
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Jan 1, 2015 08:01
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| # ? Apr 23, 2024 07:58 |
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How come you didn't use your THERMOMIX??? just kidding, you should not keep talking about that lol It looks delicious. Wonder if it would work with apples. Is there a reason you use margarine instead of butter?
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Jan 1, 2015 08:09
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You know I'm sensitive about my Thermomix. It was its day off. Just seems to be better with margarine. I guess you can use butter if you like. There is a variant you can make that will create an incredible apple cake. It's essentially the same, except, instead of plums, do the following : (FILLING) Granny Smith Apples (or similar) Sugar (Raw) Cinnamon Grate a LOT of apples. You are going to want to have at least a 3cm of apple filling. Drain all of the juice from the grated apple mixture. Squeeze. You want it fairly dry, as it will release a lot of liquid as it cooks, and you don't want it ruining the base. If I am making the apple variant, I try and firm the mixture a little more with some extra flour. Add sugar and cinnamon, mix well. Prepare the cake as above, until you would normally top with plums. Then add the filling, patting it down a little. Put a thin layer of the dough on top, alternatively add the crumble. Your done. 
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Jan 1, 2015 09:05
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Can I get away with margarine for the crumble? I've got a couple friends who are lactose intolerant and I don't know if they can do butter, but I don't see anything else in there that'll destroy them.
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Jan 1, 2015 13:18
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Shooting Blanks posted:Can I get away with margarine for the crumble? I've got a couple friends who are lactose intolerant and I don't know if they can do butter, but I don't see anything else in there that'll destroy them. It will work just as well or better, as well as remains suitable for vegans.
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Jan 1, 2015 20:59
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| # ? Apr 23, 2024 07:58 |
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That looks really tasty. I'll take a look around for some good plums - and I've got a blood orange hanging around that seems perfect for this.
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Jan 1, 2015 21:50
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