Atomic dogmA

A few hundred plums and a week without an Internet connection … what’s a girl stuck in the hills of Portugal to do?

There’s an early hint of fall in the air and the stores are full of temptingly new notebooks and pens.  The grape leaves that frame our balcony are turning red and I’ve started wearing socks again. There’s no denying that the long and lazy days of summer are almost over so I spent our unexpected Internet holiday recreating my favourite taste of autumn.

It seemed like the perfect time to learn the Bravo family tradition of Pflaumenkuchen. Fresh from the oven, it is my plum heaven. Even Papersurfer Jr. likes it.

Pflaumenkuchen

For the Pflaumenkuchen curious:

500 g All-Purpose Flour
100 g Margarine
75 g Sugar
250 ml Milk (keep 3 tablespoons aside until luke warm)
11 g Yeast (1 cube)
1 Egg
1 pinch Salt
1 pinch Cinnamon
2 ½ kg Plums

Pour flour into a bowl and make a small trough in the middle. Crumble the yeast in a cup and mix with 3 tablespoons of lukewarm milk. Once dissolved add 1 pinch of sugar to the yeast and mix well. Pour yeast mixture into flour trough and let rise for 20-30 minutes at 50ºC (in the oven works best).

Meanwhile, wash plums. Cut each plum across in half and remove the pit.

Remove flour from the oven and add sugar, salt cinnamon, margarine and the egg. Gradually add the milk and knead into a smooth dough that can easily be pulled from the sides of the bowl. Let dough rise for another 20-30 minutes in the already warm oven.

Once the dough has risen, roll out onto a greased baking platter and top with plums. Sprinkle liberally with sugar and a dash of cinnamon to taste. Bake at 200ºC for 20-30 minutes or until edges are browned and plums are running with red juice.

Serve with fresh whipped cream (optional).

.tNb

PS: Muito obrigada to Shannon, daisyfae and Lo,TG for their comments on Sugar.