Italian Plum Torte

One of my professional colleagues and Facebook Friends posted a terrific photo and recipe for Italian Plum Torte. Italian plums (prunes fruit) are abundant in September - even in New England. Thanks Christi and April for the inspiration!

I decided I wanted to make Marian Burros' famous torte, too! (NYT has some great articles about the recipe and its history.)  The farmstand I was referred to was too far away.  I didn't know that the local grocery stores sold the plums and was thrilled to pick up two bags.

The torte is delicious. I had made a dried plum cake a few years ago that everyone loved. Why had it taken so long to make the fresh version?

You should have a 9-inch or a 10-inch cake pan. But, I imagine any low ceramic dish would do. I preferred to use parchment paper, turn the torte over onto a plate, and then turn it back onto the cake plate under my cake dome. So I used the cake pan.

First, slice the plums in half and remove the pit. The torte calls for 24 halves, but I think I used 30. The size will make a difference. 

Cream 3/4 or 1 cup of sugar with 1/2 c. butter at room temperature. I always over-cream these days, until the sugar and butter are really incorporated. Add 2 eggs and cream a bit more. Add 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, and a pinch of salt and mix well. It's that easy.

Spoon the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Place the plums skin-side up on top of the batter, covering it. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes until a cake tester is batter-free.

The NYT article suggests adaptions you might make with spices, extracts and flours. Go for it! 

Cardamom-Coriander Syrup (for Finnish Nail cocktail)

Beth gave me a great book from the Portland Alpine & Hunt Club in Portland, ME. One of their specialty cocktails is the Finnish Nail (do you see what they did there?)

First, you make the cardamom-coriander syrup:

Take two broken-up cinnamon sticks, 1-1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, 1 T black cardamom pods roughly-broken up (NOT green cardamom), and toast in a 450-degree oven on parchment paper. See my photo. The PA&HC book says about 8 minutes. NOT. After 6, they burned. I went for 4 minutes.

When they are still warm, blend in a spice blender with 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes until evenly ground. Add 4 ounces of high-proof rum. Blend quickly (you may lose some of the rum out of the spice blender. Just replace it in the next step.

Combine 15 oz. hot water (very hot, but not boiling) and 3/4 c. finely granulated sugar. Stir to dissolve.

Use a coffee filter in a sieve or strainer over the sugar water and let the spice/rum mixture filter through, spreading the spices to let all the water go through slowly. 

Transfer to a clean bottle and label. Refrigerate for up to two months, shaking with each use.

For the drink, combine:

2 ounces blended Scotch

1/2 ounce Drambuie 

1/2 ounce syrup

Add ice to the glass and stir 20-30 seconds. Strain into a double Old Fashioned glass with a large ice cube. 

Lemon peel and garnish