In September, one thing that comforts me from the end of summer is certainly receiving significant supplies of plums every year from my uncles’ farm. These late varieties are called Coscia di Monaca Rossa and Stanley, sweet and tasty fruits with a distinct aroma and oblong shape, one slightly more reddish and the other darker. They are certainly ideal for making jams, but also for preparing desserts. I go crazy for them because their flesh is quite firm and sugary when they reach full ripeness, but especially because they have excellent organoleptic properties not to be underestimated, particularly diuretic and purifying. Furthermore, their fiber and water content is particularly high, with a really modest caloric contribution. This means, in simple terms, that in their composition, carbohydrates, in the form of sugars, are the only standout component among the macronutrients. Certainly, plums are a fruit to be appreciated and used to the fullest! With this brief and necessary premise, I tell you that, given the considerable quantities of this seasonal production, I chose them as the protagonists of the dessert to propose inside the second issue of September of the Granaio! I thought of an unusual combination, combining the sour taste of plums with the savoriness and creaminess of ricotta, which also makes the dough soft and light. The choice of two different degrees of ripeness of the plums was a winning one: one more mature part is blended and added to the dough, the remaining more compact and firm part is used instead to garnish the surface. All crowned with sliced almonds that will give a truly irresistible crunchy note! When cut, this dessert will literally melt in your mouth, presenting itself fragrant, soft, and moist. A sweet and healthy cuddle in the morning with cappuccino or accompanied by a glass of almond milk as we did, or simply in its pure form as a snack. Try it and then let me know!

Difficulty: Very Easy
Cost: Medium
Preparation time: 25 Minutes
Cooking time: 50 Minutes
Portions: 11.8 x 4.3 inches pan
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATION LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; buying them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it will not cost you anything extra!

1 3/4 cups type 1 flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1 cup ricotta
3/4 cup erythritol
3 eggs (at room temperature)
7 oz plums (ripe)
3/8 cup almond milk
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 lemon (untreated)
1 packet baking powder for sweets
as needed breadcrumbs
as needed seed oil (or butter for the pan)
1 pinch salt
4 plums (more mature)
3 tbsp sliced almonds
2 tbsp brown sugar
as needed powdered sugar

Tools

1 Knife
1 Blender
2 Mixing Bowl
1 Sieve
Electric Whisk
1 Spatula
1 Loaf Pan

Steps

Start by washing the plums well, then peel them and remove the internal pit. Blend the ripest ones slightly in a blender or mash them with a spoon to reduce them to a puree, and set them aside, leaving 3-4 firmer and more compact ones cut in half (fig. 1).
In a mixing bowl, sift the flours, namely the type 1 flour, the almond flour*, and the baking powder. Also, add a pinch of salt to this mixture (fig. 2).
In another separate bowl beat the eggs at room temperature with the sugar using an electric whisk for a few minutes (fig. 3).
The result should be a light and frothy mixture (fig. 4).
Add the ricotta**, until you get a lump-free mixture (fig. 5).
Grate the zest of an untreated lemon, I had my supply of dried lemon peel, then add to the mixture the peanut oil and the almond milk in a stream (fig. 6).
Add, alternating with the milk, the powders little by little to try not to make the dough too hard, continuing with the electric whisk (fig. 7).
Add the plum puree to the mixture and mix slightly with a spatula (fig. 8).
Transfer the mixture into a loaf pan previously oiled or buttered and dusted with breadcrumbs, level well and garnish with the firmer plums cut in half (fig. 9).
Then add the brown sugar on top (fig. 10).
Finally, also add the sliced almonds and place in a preheated oven at 356°F for 45′-50′. In the last minutes of cooking, if the surface darkens too much, cover it with a sheet of parchment paper and continue for the indicated time. Before turning off, however, always perform the toothpick test to check for doneness (fig. 11).
After the indicated time, turn off, remove from oven and let it cool completely before removing from the pan.
Decorate with powdered sugar as desired.
And voilà… your ricotta, plum, and almond plum-cake is ready to be enjoyed!
Once cooled, you can remove it from the pan and place it on an appropriate tray.
Perfect for a snack or breakfast accompanied by a glass of fresh almond milk as we did, or with cappuccino.
Enjoy from FeFè’s Kitchen!

Storage

👉 You can store the ricotta, plum, and almond plum-cake at room temperature inside a glass dome or in a hermetically sealed container for a maximum of 3 days. Beyond this time frame, the dessert, containing pieces of fruit, may spoil and form mold. Therefore, especially if the external temperatures are still too high, refrigeration is advisable.

Tips

🟣* For those intolerant to almonds and nuts in general, you can replace almond flour with coconut flour (the fine kind, I found this organic type excellent). The proportions will be: 250 gr. of all-purpose or type 1 flour and 50 gr. of coconut flour.

🟣** For those lactose intolerant, you can use lactose-free ricotta. There are several brands available on the market, so it will be easy to find one that suits your needs.

THE COLUMN

Il Granaio–Baking time, is the column that every first and third Thursday of the month offers a basket full of incredible and irresistible ideas, many recipes that you can see by visiting the official pages of Facebook, Instagram and even Pinterest

If you are cooking enthusiasts like us, we invite you to put on your apron and replicate our recipes! If you do, please do not hesitate to write to us for advice and suggestions, and to let us know if you enjoyed them! Now I leave you to the preparations of my talented colleagues: