I don't want to call it Autumn plum cake (which is actually what it is) when it feels like Summer is still lingering out there somewhere, but given that today is the first day of Meteorological Autumn and all that...
Plus this is something I automatically think of when the first of the season's fruits start to appear in the shops and markets, and I know it won't be long until the start of the misty mornings and falling leaves...
Zwetschgendatschi to give it its proper name is a German streusel topped cake made with the tiny hard Zwetschgen Italian plums that in Germany are heralded as the ONLY type of plum to make this cake with. I have no choice but to make Zwetschgendatschi with with English plums nowadays, but can confirm it's equally good (as long as you are not using over ripe fruits here people...)
It's a little bit of a faff, but I promise you it's a recipe you will make every autumn from now on...
For the pastry:
500g plain flour;
100g icing sugar;
250g good quality butter, cubed;
1 Lemon;
2 Large Free Range eggs;
Splash of milk
750g-1kg of plums, depending on the size of the cake you are making and/or size of plums;
1 Tablespoon cinnamon;
1 Tablespoon caster sugar;
Streusel topping:
125g brown sugar;
125g plain flour;
65g butter.
Start with the short sweet crust pastry, I tend to use this Jamie Oliver recipe as my go to... Whilst it's resting in the fridge, slice the plums in half and half again (removing the pip obviously!)...
Heat the oven to 190deg
Roll out the pastry to the size tin you are using (typically I use two 26x20cm tins), line the tins with baking paper, and add the pastry to the tins. Push the quartered plums into the pastry and sprinkle over the cinnamon and sugar.
Mix together the crumble/streusel topping in a bowl, and scatter over the top of the plums.
Bake for 40 mins. Cut large slices, and eat with a large coffee outside in the Autumn sun. Enjoy...
,
Comments