This is a really nice fruity slice that is not overly sweet. It is equally good at room temperature or warm with custard. It’s a nice slice to make if you don’t have an electric mixer as very little beating is required. Also, feel free to substitute cherries or nectarines in place of the plums.

Ingredients

Roughly six prepared plums (250g to 300g) without stones

140g cream flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tbsp. ground ginger

20gr stemmed ginger – very finely diced or chopped

85g porridge oats

2 large free-range eggs

Crumble

140g unsalted butter

100g soft dark brown sugar

100g golden syrup

2 tablespoons of prepared batter

Method:

• Grease the base and sides of an 8-inch square cake pan, then line with parchment paper.
• In a medium pot melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup. Cook until sugar is dissolved stirring all the time then set aside to cool.
• Wash, dry and quarter the plums.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger and salt. Beat into the melted butter and sugar and finally add the eggs, chopped ginger and oats.
• Remove 2 tbsp. of the batter for the crumble topping. Scrape into the prepared tin then scatter generously with the plums.
• Prepare the crumble topping by rubbing together the small amount of batter with the oats, flour and small dice of stem ginger.
• Sprinkle the crumble like batter over the plums.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and cooked through.
• Allow cooling completely and serving as squares.
• Can be served simply as a tea cake or warm slightly and serve with ginger custard or ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.

Ginger Custard

280 ml of milk

4 free range egg yolk

15 g piece of fresh peeled ginger

35 g castor sugar

Method:

• Whisk the sugar and yolks in a bowl.
• Re heat the milk to not quiet boiling, then strain through a sieve onto the egg yolk mixture.
• Return to a clean saucepan and place over a low heat.
• Stir continually until it thickens, that is when it visible coats the back of a spoon.
• (If it boils the egg yolks in it will curdle so don’t be tempted to cook over full heat.”
• Pass through a fine strainer and serve over the warm pudding. And enjoy!

If you would like to contact Mercy Fenton email info@wickeddesserts.ie