Warm Plums With Cinnamon Toast And Red Plum Sorbet Recipes

PLUM AND RED-WINE SORBET

Steps:

• Stir together all ingredients and a pinch of salt in a heavy medium saucepan and cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until plums fall apart, about 25 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick and zest. Purée in batches in a blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Freeze purée in ice cream maker, then transfer sorbet to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 1 hour.

AUTUMNAL SPICED PLUMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange plums cut side down in an ovenproof dish that holds them in 1 layer.
• In a medium saucepan, combine honey, syrup, cinnamon, star anise, vinegar and 1 1/2 cups water. Place on medium-high heat. As soon as mixture begins to boil, pour evenly over plums. Cover dish tightly with foil.
• Bake plums until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove foil, and let cool slightly. To serve, place 4 portions of plums in 4 shallow bowls, and top with syrup. Plums may be refrigerated and served cool or reheated.

CINNAMON PLUMS WITH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• For the plums: Put the cranberry juice and sugar into a wide saucepan and stir to help start dissolving the sugar. Then put the saucepan over a low heat until the sugar dissolves entirely.
• Halve the plums and remove the pits, then halve them again if they are big brutes.
• Once the sugar's dissolved into the red liquid, add the cinnamon stick, then turn the heat up, bring to the boil and let the pan bubble away for a couple of minutes until the mixture is on the way to becoming syrupy.
• Now turn the syrup down to a simmer and add the plum halves or quarters and cook them gently for about 10 minutes, although note that this is based on starting off with viciously unripe fruits so you might need less time.
• Once the plums are tender but not disintegrating, remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave to keep warm. You can make the plums in advance and either serve them at room temperature with the French toast or warm them up again.
• For the French toast: Whisk together the eggs, milk, ground cinnamon and sugar in a pie dish.
• Sit 2 pieces of bread in the eggy mixture, turning after each side has soaked up enough to color the bread yellow, so that it absorbs the liquid but doesn't fall to pieces.
• Melt half the butter in a frying pan and cook the 2 soaked pieces of bread for a couple of minutes each side. Transfer the yellow, eggy bread, scorched golden in parts, to warm waiting plates. Meanwhile, soak the next 2 slices.
• Melt the remaining butter to cook the last 2 slices in the same way.
• Serve alongside the beautiful scarlet plum compote.
• Make Ahead Note: The compote can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to bowl to cool, then cover and refrigerate. Warm the compote gently in saucepan before serving.
• Freeze Note: Cooled compote can be frozen in airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above.

FRENCH TOAST WITH CINNAMON PLUMS

Steps:

• In a wide saucepan, combine cranberry juice and 1 cup sugar. Place over low heat, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cinnamon stick, and raise heat to bring to a boil; boil for about 2 minutes.
• Add plums, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until plums are tender but not disintegrating, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside. (Plums may be served warm or at room temperature; reheat if desired.)
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar. Place a large skillet over medium-low heat, and add 1 tablespoon of butter, spreading it in the pan. Dip three slices of brioche in the egg mixture, so they absorb the liquid but don't fall to pieces. Place in skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining three slices brioche.
• Place a portion of French toast on each plate with a serving of plum halves and their syrup.

WARM PLUMS WITH CINNAMON TOAST AND RED PLUM SORBET

Steps:

• Make the sorbet: Combine chopped plums and 2 tablespoons of the water in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until soft, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth, set aside.
• Place the remaining water and sugar in a clean saucepan and boil for 4 minutes. Combine plum puree, sugar syrup, vanilla extract and lemon juice in a glass or ceramic bowl. Refrigerate until chilled. Pour the mixture into an ice-cream maker and proceed according to manufacturer's directions.
• Prepare the plums: preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the halved plums, cut side up, in an earthenware dish or heavy skillet. Sprinkle with the sugar and water, and dust with 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Bake until tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, make the cinnamon toast. Preheat the broiler. Place the toast on a baking sheet. Spread with butter and dust with the remaining cinnamon. Broil just until the butter starts to bubble, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• To assemble the dessert, arrange 3 plum halves like flower petals on each of four dessert plates. Place a small scoop of sorbet in the middle, drizzle with a spoonful of the plum juices and serve with cinnamon toast.