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Dina's Kitchen

Lebanese Recipes

September 26, 2020

Plum Pie

Autumn announces its arrival with colourful leaves and Zwetschgenkuchen; at least for me. The days might be getting shorter, but nature, in exchange, is offering us a spectacle of colours with various shades of yellow, orange, red, purple and brown. I love this season! I just love dried leaves cracking under my feet in the woods, the smell of foggy mornings and of raked leaves in my garden, the last warm rays of sun and the site of plums in the market!

I still remember the buckets full of plums from my in-laws’ own tree that I used to get in time to make the juiciest, tartest pie ever. The rich harvest of old and healthy plum trees in private households means a lot of jam making and baking, but also of sharing with family and friends. Plum trees are seldom found in new home gardens these days either because lands are getting smaller, or because people are getting busier with both partners going to work. Plums in a bucket in front of your doorsteps have surely become something special!

There are many recipes for plum cake, but this one has been my favourite ever since I was introduced to it. After I had already been surprised by the very moderate sweetness of German desserts that had changed my taste buds forever, I had my first encounter with tartness in a plum pie in the autumn of my first year in Germany. It was love at first bite!

For this recipe I use a 32-cm baking pan. As size of pans differs from country to country I would recommend 14-inch/ 36-cm round pan or pie dish. You can also use an 9″x11″ sheet instead.  Last tip: you might need more plums depending on the size you are using, so have a few more at hand!

By using a bigger pan than 32-cm, your dough will be a bit thinner, that’s all

Bon Appétit!

Mix in sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the flour
Combine 1 teaspoon rapid-rise yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar with 60 ml lukewarm milk, cover with a saucer until it starts a foam
risen yeast
Make a small well in the flour and pour in the yeast
Add the egg, zest, vanilla and butter
Knead on speed 2 until a pliable dough forms
Transfer into a greased bowl, cover and let rest 2 hours
Transfer to a slightly floured surface
Dough is amazingly smooth and pliable
Transfer to your prepared baking pan, and with your hand press and stretch dough to the end of pan and make a 1/2 cm edge all around pan
Brush surface with one tablespoon melted butter
Arrange plum quarters in this pattern
cover with the crumb
Bake at 175 °C for 40 minutes
Serve hot or lukewarm with a dollop of whipped cream

Plum Pie

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hr
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 3 hrs 40 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine German
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 60 ml lukewarm milk
  • 1 teaspoon rapid-rise yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 250 g all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 45 g granulated sugar
  • 45 g soft butter
  • 1 medium egg
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
  • For the topping:
  • 750 g plums rinsed, pitted and quartered
  • 100 g all-purpose flour
  • 60 g granulated sugar
  • 75 g melted butter plus 1 tablespoon to grease the dough surface
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer if using, combine the flour, sugar and salt.
  • In a small bowl dissolve the yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar in the milk. Cover with a saucer for 10 minutes, or until it starts to foam.
  • Make a small well in the flour mixture and pour in the yeast. Break the egg over the yeast and sprinkle with lemon zest and vanilla. Distribute the soft butter on the edges.
  • Using the hook attachment knead on speed 2 until the dough comes together about 5 minutes, and becomes smooth and pliable. Form the dough into a ball and place in a slightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean towel and allow to rest in a warm, quiet place for two hours until double in size.
  • Cover the bottom of a 32-cm pie dish with parchment paper. Preheat oven (175°C/350°F).
  • Roll out the dough on a slightly floured surface and transfer to the prepared sheet. Grease the surface of the dough with the one tablespoon melted butter and arrange the plums on it.
  • Prepare crumb: Mix the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and gradually add the lukewarm melted butter. Mix with a fork until clumps form. Spread evenly over the plums. Bake on second lower rack for about 40 minutes.

Notes

All images and text © Dina Bayoud Kohl for Dina’s Kitchen

Filed Under: General, Pastry & Sweets

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Manfred Sumfleth says

    September 27, 2020 at 11:42

    Dina, du bist ja ne Romantikerin!
    Mein Lieblingskuchen!
    Bei meiner Mutter hieß es “Bedeckter Pflaumenkuchen”
    Herzlich aus Hamburg,
    Manfred

    Reply
    • Dina says

      September 27, 2020 at 17:25

      Ja, bin ich manchmal! Schön von dir zu hören, vor allem, dass wir von dir heute gesprochen haben 🙂 Liebe Grüße aus Bayern 🙂

      Reply

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