Plum-Cardamom Crumble with Pistachios

How to make this plum easy dessert

Pick the right plum!

The bounty of luscious summer fruit continues to call to me every time I walk into the supermarket, drive past a produce stand or visit my favorite farmer’s market. This week it was plums galore! In my part of the world, it was red plums and black plums on sale. In case you don’t know the difference, black plums have blue-black skin that binds the sweet, juicy deep red or purple colored pulp. Red plums, in contrast, are red on the outside and have a juicy yellow color pulp with a sweet/tart (almost sour) taste. I highly recommend using black plums for this recipe. In full disclosure, I used a combination of red and black plums, and I won’t do it again — it’s just a little too tart. Live and learn!

Plum tips and hacks

Slicing the plums can get a little messy. The fastest way is to cut the plum in half and give it a twist. If luck is with you, half of the plum will easily come away from the pit. Take the piece with the stone still intact and slice it in half. Give it one more twist; in a perfect world, this will work. In my world, it worked for only a couple of the plums. The truth is, neatness doesn’t count! Go ahead and mangle those plums to your heart’s content. No one will know! Slice, chop or hack the plums into as evenly sized pieces as possible without stressing it.

Cardamom adds flavor and fragrance

The wonderful flavor and the aroma of the plum filling come from the cardamom.  Cardamom, which originated in India, has a “warm,” intense, slightly sweet taste that is somewhat minty, almost menthol-like. It can be a little pricey as it is harvested by hand. Also, it’s not an “everyday” spice. If you don’t have cardamom in your pantry, no worries; cinnamon makes a great substitute. The cardamon is in both the filling and in the crumble topping.

Lemon tips and hacks

Freshly zested and juice lemon juice brightens up the flavor of the plums. Bottled lemon juice can be used (omit the zest), but freshly squeezed juice adds that “something-something” that bottled juice can’t replicate. Please forgive me for stating the obvious; I’m bringing it up because I’ve made this mistake in the past. Zest the lemon first! Then, juice it. It’s really, REALLY difficult to zest a juiced lemon!

Butter holds the topping together

Cut the butter in small cubes and set aside for a couple of minutes

Pistachios add flavor and CRUNCH

The last prep task is roughly chopping the pistachios. I now buy shelled pistachios. However, when I had little ones running around, shelling was an excellent way to keep them occupied. Plums, cardamom, and pistachios are a time-honored flavor combo. Pistachios are contain fewer calories and more protein than most other nuts. Also, their essential amino acid content is higher than any other nut. However, walnuts also have a great crunch and flavor. Feel free to substitute. With the prep completed, the filling and the topping quickly come together.

Mixing it up

Mix the filling ingredients (plums, lemon, flour, spice, brown sugar, and cornstarch) in a bowl. Do this first, so the fruit has a chance to start breaking down and get its juice on.

I make the crumble topping in a food processor. However, it’s not a necessity. I’ve made crumbles for years by hand — literally! Using your hands is an easy alternative to a food processor. If you don’t like playing with your food, use a large fork (or pastry cutter) to create a clumpy consistency.

Fruit crumbles and crisps are notorious for bubbling over in the oven. The easiest way to prevent this is to use a large enough baking dish. I recommend a 2-2½ quart baking dish. A 9-inch square baking pan should also work. I stay away from pie pans; they always seem overflow.  Add the fruit mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle on the crumble and top with the pistachios.

To be on the safe side, if using a square pan, place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet/pan. It will be a whole lot easier to clean a baking sheet/pan than to clean an oven. Trust me. Nothing is worse than burnt-on fruit filling. (This would, again, be the voice of experience!)

Bake until thick and bubbly

Let the crumble bake in a preheated 350°F oven for around 50 minutes. Start checking at 45 minutes with the knowledge that it may take closer to 60 minutes. When the juices have thickened, the fruit is bubbling, and the topping has slightly browned, it’s ready to come out. The broad time range is due to the actual amount of fruit (no one actually measures 8 cups of plums), so it’s very probable that there is more or less than the targeted 3 lbs. Also, oven temps do vary. If the calibration is slightly off, so will the cooking time. 

Zhoosh it up with whipped topping

Remove the crumble from the oven and allow it to cool. A squirt of whipped topping or a scoop of ice cream is the best way to top off this sweet and tart dessert. Enjoy! 

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