Australia is just reaching the end of summer and the stone fruit season, so now is the time to make the most of baking with the last of the plums. And plum slice is just the ticket. Actually, I lie. Not about the slice… it’s not the end of summer – it’s well and truly autumn (or fall, whatever you wish to call it). But there is still some nice stone fruit, and still some nice weather.
Today I went out to a lovely country market about an hour out of Melbourne to buy homemade trinkets and fresh fruit and vegetable. It’s an addiction, I adore markets. Being a lovely 26 degrees (82F) we took the motorbike (I am passenger, not rider, not thy self and thy weaknesses)…
And then also decided to go wine tasting. Check. Out. That. View. You can also see my motorbike boots. I’m so bad ass.
How awesome was this Autumn day?? Pretty darn awesome, that’s how awesome.
So farewell summer. It’s time to welcome the first winter I’ve had in a year due to my season skipping when I moved back to Australia from London. It’s time I brushed up on my soup and hot toddies anyway. Let’s talk slice…
Cut up your plums and make your cream cheese mixture in one bowl, and your flour mixture in another.
This slice is a six layer jobby. Put a flour layer down, then smear the cream cheese layer on top.
Then add your plums.
Then do it all again! Then bake that stuff. Finally, top with icing sugar to make it pretty.
I didn’t make the white chocolate custard, but have included the instructions below. You can either serve this as a dessert with the custard, or enjoy it straight up as I did.
Ingredients
250 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
¼ cup caster sugar
4 eggs
175 grams softened unsalted butter
175 grams (1 cup) brown sugar
200 grams (1 cup) self-raising flour
400 grams plums, stones removed, sliced
Icing sugar, to dust
White chocolate custard
1 cup (250mls) milk
300 ml thickened cream
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornflour
½ cup (110 grams) caster sugar
100 grams white chocolate, finely chopped
Method
- Preheat oven to 180C, grease and line an 18cm x 28 cm pan.
- Add cream cheese, vanilla, caster sugar and 1 egg into a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
- Place flour, butter, brown sugar and remaining 3 eggs in a second bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes until creamy.
- Spread half the flour mixture in the tray followed by half the cream cheese mixture, swirling to gently combine, then top with half the plums.
- Again, top with remaining flour mixture, cream cheese mixture and plums.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. To serve cold as a slice, wait until cool, dust with icing sugar. Or…
White chocolate custard
- Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over a medium heat to just below boiling point.
- Whisk together the yolks, cornflour and sugar until combined.
- Pour the hot cream mixture over the egg mixture.
- Transfer to a clean saucepan and cook, stirring, over low heat for 4-5 minutes until custard coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat, add the chocolate and stir until smooth.
- Dust the plum tray bake with icing sugar then slice and serve with warm chocolate custard.
Quantity: Makes 24
Healthy? The plum slice without the custard is 175 calories a slice.
Gluten free? No, not sure how this would adapt either, sorry.
Storage: You could freeze them, but it might end up a bit soggy. Keeps well in a tin for 2 – 3 days.
Reference: Delicious Magazine, March 2012, p66.
What a lovely fall slice up!! I think wine country is best seen from a motorbike.. but then the driver can’t have much, which wouldn’t be too fun?? But great for you!!
It’s true, we have to be very restrained about the tasting as wines and motorbikes are a big no-no! We bought a bottle from the winery pictured though so we could enjoy it properly later. 🙂
I’m not an idiot, but I still think it’s funny you have that weather there at this time of the year :D. Don’t know why. Again, it’s good to have you back, this looks yummy.
Hehe, yes Aussies do NOT deserve sympathy for our weather and you can throw a bag of flour at me if I ever start up!
Are you sure? they can be quite heavy… I may well take your head off – I wouldn’t want that.
This looks utterly delicious – especially with that custard topping. And your fall day sounds perfect to me. Markets and wineries are a favorite way to spend the day for Mike and I (minus the motorbike though – I’m not so bad ass). 🙂
Looks like a rough day down there. I love how moist this looks!
Sounds like the perfect day to me. 🙂 And those views, gorgeous! (including the motorbike boots and the plum dessert!)
All your recipes always look so amazing! I love your blog and have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. Here is the link: http://thehomeheart.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/ive-been-nominated/
Thank you!! That’s super sweet, just stepping over now to have a look, you’ve made my day 🙂 x
This looks awesome! I love dense cakes. Also, what amazing scenery. I definitely need to make it out to Australia some day…
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