Sometimes the plums sink below the surface. Does anybody know why ???
11
I was astonished and delighted when I saw Marion Burros recipe for the plum torte in the Times last fall.
I have been baking it since the 60's, when I got the recipe from a" Good Housekeeping" cookbook. It is the identical cake, but was called "Hungarian Plum Pite" . I think the G. H. cookbook was published in the 50's.
The plum cake is a family favorite and is now baked by all my kids.
9
Published in 1983 and still going strong. Few ingredients, with the Echire butter as the exception of something difficult to find, although "regular butter" can substitute.
There's just something to be said for the "old" recipes, the ones that didn't concern themselves with the fad of this-free or that-replaced or non-this and lotsa-that.
Food. Just food. Real, delicious, simple and a treat for the eyes as well. Accessible to make for just about everyone. No tricks. No nonsense. Just food.
Bravo, Marian Burros. Bravo and, in this 21st century of convoluted, contrived nonsense passing as a recipe, thank you!
There's just something to be said for the "old" recipes, the ones that didn't concern themselves with the fad of this-free or that-replaced or non-this and lotsa-that.
Food. Just food. Real, delicious, simple and a treat for the eyes as well. Accessible to make for just about everyone. No tricks. No nonsense. Just food.
Bravo, Marian Burros. Bravo and, in this 21st century of convoluted, contrived nonsense passing as a recipe, thank you!
29
I've made the plum torte since the 1990s. Everyone loves it! I love it most made with prune plums. I've also made it with Bosc pears, nectarines, apples -- always only with one fruit. I add grated lemon zest to the batter and sometimes a couple of tablespoons of sliced almonds on top of the fruit. It's one of the fastest and most delicious cakes I make. Thank you, Marian.
21
I used quartered peeled fresh peaches and added a streusel toppling which gave a nice crunch and a hit of brown sugar
7
We made plum torte for the very first time for a dinner party on Sat, 9/24/16, based on this article. Even using the big purple summer plums - cut in halves for one torte and quarters for another (we preferred the quarters) - it was out of this world! A huge hit! I have since shared the recipe with a number of other people, and well, just spreading the love! Terrific dessert!
7
I rediscovered this perfect torte last autumn and have been eagerly awaiting the return of prune plum season. It's here! But it's short. So tell me - what's my best bet: buy extra plums and freeze the fruit or bake extra and freeze the torte? And if I'm freezing the torte, tips on wrapping and defrosting? Thanks folks!
16
I have now made with Santa Rosa plums and nectarines, peaches, peaches and strawberries. Each so delicious. A very easy recipe that adapts well to high-altitude baking. Have made with half sprouted whole wheat flour/half regular and a mix of coconut and cane sugar (under 2/3rds a cup). Ginger, lime zest... Each variation as good as the next.
8
what would be a good product to use to make it dairy free (not margarine, please_
6
I've made this with coconut oil. it was delicious.
9
My Swiss grandmother made this often and it was always one of my favorites. She called it phlaum-kuchen(?spelling). I leave it to the food historians to determine whether its origins are Swiss, Austrian, German or French or Italian. I suspect that every country developed a version of it when they discovered how versatile and juicy these plums were when baked!
7
I use to make plum kuchen in a German bakery with a streusel crust/topping that was heavenly. This recipe looks good also.
6
This recipe is delicious and one of my longtime favorites, made either with plums or peaches. I put a thin layer of almond paste under the fruit and reduce the sugar to 2/3-3/4 cup, depending on the fruit's sweetness.
6
My mom and I used the Elegant but Easy cookbook often when I was growing up, and the fruit torte was always our go-to dessert when company was coming. She passed away last year and I keep the cookbook on my bedside table, I think of her every time I see it.
26
I made this yesterday in a 10" springform pan. I tried to place 24 halves of 12 italiian plums on top of the batter but could not fit them all. Should I have layered them? Sliced them all? I did slice some remaining fruit to fit in spaces where a full half did not. Since the cake was rather flat, I wondered if the 8" is better and then, the fruit would seemingly need to be layered or I'd need to use less. Thanks! Also, any guidance on how much lemon juice to use? Thanks.
Katie, I used some plums that were soft and some that were firmer; all were fine once baked.
Katie, I used some plums that were soft and some that were firmer; all were fine once baked.
4
Irene: I used a 9 inch pie plate and only 22 halves of 11 Italian prune plums which fit perfectly. However, the torte was very close to spilling over the pie plate during the baking process. Luckily, it didn't. However, next time I will use my 9.5 inch deep dish pie plate which should be a perfect fit. I used approx. 1/4 cup lemon juice. Resulted in a nice tart/sweet topping. Like you, I used plums that were soft and some that were firmer and they all were fantastic when baked.
2
Thank you for the tips above and the information on ripeness of the plums, Irene. Much appreciated. Will make my first plum torte tomorrow.
Thanks, Katie! I hope mine turns out like the photo someday :)
Can anyone tell me if the plums should be soft (very ripe) before using? Can they still be used in the torte if they are firm? Just bought some from our local farmer's market and am wondering if I should let them ripen for a few days before using them in the torte.
1
A friend just sent me the article after I mentioned that I just made 3 plum kuchens or plum cakes for Rosh Hashanah based on my great aunt Charlotte's recipe. It was a favorite of German Jews. I've been making them for years, I think they are the perfect adult cake, sweet and sour. I also wait for the Italian plums to become available as soon as the first cool breezes start in the evenings... my favorite time of year. The cakes freeze really well. Charlotte, or 'Nanny' as we called her, placed the cake batter half way up the pan and then placed her halved plums on end in concentric circles... it's a piece of art and delicious. The perfect dessert after a hearty fall holiday meal.
8
I have made hundreds of these tortes since the recipe was first published, using the Italian plums and many other summer fruits and apples. I usually bake them in a aluminum foil pan and stick them in the freezer. When you need a desert, take a torte out of the freezer peel the aluminum foil pan off, place on on a cake plate and let it defrost. Since I now live in an area that doesn't seem to have the Italian plums, I bought some Damson plums (a close variety) to make the torte,
but it just wasn't the same.
I have also sent photo copies of the "One Last Time" version of the recipe to friends over the years. Would love you to print that again.
but it just wasn't the same.
I have also sent photo copies of the "One Last Time" version of the recipe to friends over the years. Would love you to print that again.
9
Folks, I'm the food editor here at The Times. I'm cutting into your conversation because Marian Burros, whose recipe it is that we're talking about here, just sent me a note to pass along to all of you.
Here it is:
"Dear All: I am blown away by the response to the plum torte, now reaching a third generation. I stayed up very late reading all the comments. This beats any scoops I had in my career and is the nicest possible way to be remembered. Thank you all for your kind words. I am on my way out the door to get my first (Italian, prune, purple) plums of the season. For a Sunday night supper party! Thank you. Marian"
Here it is:
"Dear All: I am blown away by the response to the plum torte, now reaching a third generation. I stayed up very late reading all the comments. This beats any scoops I had in my career and is the nicest possible way to be remembered. Thank you all for your kind words. I am on my way out the door to get my first (Italian, prune, purple) plums of the season. For a Sunday night supper party! Thank you. Marian"
199
in 1958, Marion and I met at a party given for my then husband and me who were newcomers to the DC area. Marion and other guests each brought their favorite hors d'oubres to be shared by all. I was particularly delighted by the Mushroom Rollups that Marion served. When I asked for the recipe, the response was "it's in my cookbook" and my thought was " I don't need your cookbook when I have my own".
The next day, Marionn called to ask if I could help her proofread "Elegant But Easy". That was the beginning of a long friendship and I am proud to have two of my recipes in her later books.
The plum torte remains my "go to" desert and her macaroni and cheese recipe is the only one each of my sons took with them when they established their own homes.
The next day, Marionn called to ask if I could help her proofread "Elegant But Easy". That was the beginning of a long friendship and I am proud to have two of my recipes in her later books.
The plum torte remains my "go to" desert and her macaroni and cheese recipe is the only one each of my sons took with them when they established their own homes.
22
Quick question
Are purple plums the same as Italian prune plums?
Thanks!,
Linda
Are purple plums the same as Italian prune plums?
Thanks!,
Linda
2
Thank you, Mr. Sifton, for keeping this recipe in the New York Times!
16
In 2005 my roommate and I found a notebook in a zipcar that a previous driver had left. In looking through the book to find some biographical details, we found stories of travels through europe, notes from a job search, and a page that said "Alice's Plum Cake" -- we copied down the recipe. Eventually we found an email address of the notebook owner's brother, emailed him, and the owner dropped by to pick it up. "That recipe's really good!" she told us when we admitted we'd seen it. It was. We made it many times that fall and again through the years with other fruit, Alice's Plum Cake became the signature recipe for me and my roommate! One year I submitted the recipe and the story to a Saveur reader's recipes feature, but never heard back. Which was reasonable, since it turned out this was the most famous plum cake recipe ever! I only heard of the Marian Burros recipe a couple years ago, and sure enough, it was identical.
19
I have been making this recipe for many years, having gotten it from my Aunt Betty, who is now 98, along with many other family favorites. I had no idea where she got it, but it wouldn't surprise me if she clipped it from the N.Y. Times. Her version suggested yellow plums and I had a Japanese yellow plum tree in my yard that would put out 300-400lbs of fruit every few years. I must say I like the yellow plums best, but the Italian prunes also work really well for flavor and are less messy to pit. I have been making this for my women's group and it is always a major hit and on the requested list most often.
2
Hi folks, Melissa Clark presented us with Buckwheat Berry Stripe Cake on 6/29/16 o the NYT cooking section. I have been making it regularly to rave reviews using strawberries cherries blueberries blackberries whatever has been at the market in season the other day plums with the market nice and right so we decided to try them with this and it was delicious.
One of the features I like is that it only takes 45 minutes including prep time, It has 1/2 cup of sugar. It uses almond flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and buckwheat flour & regular all-purpose flour. While it is made in a tart pan it is more like a cake and its consistency but I've had nothing but rave reviews to all versions. I will need to try the Original Classic recipe discussed today
One of the features I like is that it only takes 45 minutes including prep time, It has 1/2 cup of sugar. It uses almond flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and buckwheat flour & regular all-purpose flour. While it is made in a tart pan it is more like a cake and its consistency but I've had nothing but rave reviews to all versions. I will need to try the Original Classic recipe discussed today
4
Sold the house, and our fabulous plum tree with it. :-( Is it possible to find a copy of the 1994 apple-cranberry version of this cake?
6
for a 10" pan, core/peel/slice 1-1/2 large baking apples and toss them in a bowl with 2 TBS lemon juice and 2 TBS sugar. let sit while you make the batter and get it into the pan. arrange the apple slices over the batter and sprinkle 1/2 cup of raw cranberries, spoon the juice from the apples' bowl over all, sprinkle liberally with cinnamon and bake! freezes very well.
11
I have been making the plum torte since 1983 when it first came out. My mom and I were Marion Burros followers. I remember seeing her on the TODAY show. I have two of her cookbooks. This is an easy and beautiful presenting torte. For me, I fell in love with the recipe because it was using the most unclaimed and unused fruit, the prune. That is what we called them, Italian Prunes. I have always loved the Italian Prune. This little recipe elevated the prune into a true dessert that went beyond the consumption of a dry plum, used for stewing or popping in your mouth. My mom would lightly sweeten the stewed prunes and serve with over vanilla yogurt. Ms. Burros's recipe enabled the prunes to become a family dessert and a family tradition for fall. No one ever turned down a piece of this luscious torte. People don't buy or use prunes much today. I am one of the few people who grab bags full of them when they come to the store. I'm so disappointed that fewer and fewer grocery stores carry them. I make the torte every year, now it is a gluten free version and still delicious. It is a passage into fall for me, remembrance of my mom and one that I look forward to devouring.
17
My mother made this torte in the late '80s and early '90s and I loved it. She passed away in 2007, and I have thought of this recipe often. If she gave it to me -- I must have misplaced it. I was delighted today to see it featured as the recipe of the day and then to see this article about its history. I'm going to make it this weekend. And will be sure to put a comment in Cooking about my experience. Thank you!
8
My husband's aunt first gave me the recipe in 1992 on a neatly handwritten index card. I'm not the best baker so I was somewhat intimidated by the recipe. It was surprisingly easy and actually turned out great. I now look forward to seeing those Italian plums in the markets. It has now become a regular on our Rosh Hashana menu.
6
It was the first recipe for plums that popped up in a web search a couple of weeks ago, when my neighbor's son brought over a a huge colander of plums from their yard, to share with my customers during my garage sale. I didn't know what to do with them when there were so many left over!
I didn't believe the hype--the recipe seemed too easy--and after reading through it, I didn't understand how the picture could represent the same thing.
It seemed like magic when It came out of the oven. I'm still in awe of its goodness. I know I will make it again and again.
I didn't believe the hype--the recipe seemed too easy--and after reading through it, I didn't understand how the picture could represent the same thing.
It seemed like magic when It came out of the oven. I'm still in awe of its goodness. I know I will make it again and again.
6
We outfit multi day river trips and were looking for a new dessert to replace an apple caramel cake. We bake our desserts in dutch ovens using charcoal on the banks of the river. We had been testing a lemon cake with lemon curd for months but just couldn't quite get it right. Getting down to the wire and a week before our first trip launched this summer we tried the plum torte from the NY Times. From the first bite we knew we had a winner. It bakes up beautifully in a dutch oven, our guests love it, and it's easy for the crew to prepare. I was so glad that I printed out the plum torte recipe when I saw it over the winter, kept it and then thought to try it. Thanks for reprinting this beloved recipe.
14
Pflaumkuchen to me. ..and quite delicious. My mother was from Berlin and made a version and so do I. I use almond paste in the dough and reduce the sugar. I have also used crystalized ginger. I like it best with the Italian plums but have made versions with apricots, peaches, blueberries...it is so adaptable.
8
Like most other writers, I have made this recipe( hanging on the fridge, in binders, etc.) for years and currently have four in the freezer! I sent my husband searching for prune plums recently and he came back with 40 giant prune shaped plums and I went nuts, but decided to use them. I used 4 whole ones, cut them into pieces to approximate prune plums and we shall see. I have made this with all kinds of fruit including last year my own prune plums. I use glass pie plates lined with tin foil so that I can pop them in the freezer. The apple cranberry is a big hit as well. My mother is also from Berlin but her version of pflaumenkuchen which I also make is an open faced tarte: i press the tarte dough (simple pie dough) into a spring form, cut the prune plums in half and place them in concentric circles; then I make some sort of clabard with an egg, yoghurt and sugar and drizzle it on top of the tarte. Just delicious. I do this with every kind of fruit and it looks beautiful. It is great with apples, (quarters cut into fans which spread) sprinkled with raisins and slivered almonds. Perhaps a little less caloric. I have all of Marian Burros books, and have made some other things from them and they are all terrific. I am a baker but think this is the best!
4
I love this recipe so much! This is my favorite favorite recipe! I found it years ago in the Times and I have been making it every year when the plums are in season. My family looks forward to it. Great with fresh whipped cream too. Thank you for continuing to publish it!
4
I've had this recipe in my book for many years. It's faded,coveted with spots and still going strong. Great story.
2
Italian prune plums! A very short window when they're available, and one reason to make a torte, instead of just enjoying them unadorned.
Nick Malgieri's butter rich version is the only one worth making. Found in one of his early cookbooks ... How to Bake. (Page 292 Vary using plums instead of apricots.) Make it once or twice each year when August plums are perfectly ripe.
Nick Malgieri's butter rich version is the only one worth making. Found in one of his early cookbooks ... How to Bake. (Page 292 Vary using plums instead of apricots.) Make it once or twice each year when August plums are perfectly ripe.
2
We made a similar torte with wild blueberries (swirl in flour so they don't sink too much). I've also made a somewhat similar plum dessert that's a little more pie like. (Standard crust, then just s bit of homemade milk and egg custard with about 2T of flour, then the plums.). Love the suggestions to add almond flour or similar. Definitely need to make more often! NYT. Thanks for reprinting this recipe.
3
Sorry to fly in the window on my broom, but . . . Would it be crazy to include a warning, given what we now think we know: Consuming one-eighth of this tort will provide the maximum daily amount of sugar recommended if one wishes to avoid heart disease, for women. Guys can have one-sixth. (3/4 cup sugar version). Gotta go or'll wreck my departure time record.
7
Seriously?? Yes, that would be a bit crazy. This is a lovely, simple dessert that takes some effort to create and a treat to enjoy and we all deserve that on occasion. Your efforts would be much better directed in addressing the processed sweets off the shelf that are readily indulged in. Please allow us home cooks to create and enjoy an occasional lovely treat without your excessive and misdirected nutrition lecturing.
29
Really a fantastic cake. Tried it for the first time today, used a variety of plums - all were good. Used 3/4 cup sugar, 10 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt - a pinch isn't enough. Baked it in a #8 Griswold cast iron pan. Baked it for 30 minutes and she was perfectly done! Moist and golden brown. For less experienced bakers I would make note of the following tips:
Turn oven on before you do anything.
Cut fruit and lay it out on a cutting board BEFORE you start making batter. Drizzle lemon on outside of fruit while it's on the board - this will cause a sticky surface so you can later sprinkle sugar on fruit (once it's on top of the cake).
Combine all dry ingredients before you add them to the wet ingredients (sugar and butter mixture and added egg).
Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined - don't leave them sitting in a bowl - immediately put batter in pan - the baking soda is now active and needs to get in the oven. This will insure your cake is light and tender.
Turn oven on before you do anything.
Cut fruit and lay it out on a cutting board BEFORE you start making batter. Drizzle lemon on outside of fruit while it's on the board - this will cause a sticky surface so you can later sprinkle sugar on fruit (once it's on top of the cake).
Combine all dry ingredients before you add them to the wet ingredients (sugar and butter mixture and added egg).
Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined - don't leave them sitting in a bowl - immediately put batter in pan - the baking soda is now active and needs to get in the oven. This will insure your cake is light and tender.
23
My late husband and I had an Italian prune-plum tree in our Monmouth County (NJ) garden. We always used this recipe when our plums were ripe. I make this still and always remember him when I do. I also remember the outrage when TheTimes dropped this recipe! They were forced to bring it back. And rightfully so! It is a classic, love by everyone who tries it!
8
I made enough of these plum cakes to feed 125 people at my daughters wedding a few years ago! Baked it in large sheet pans! It was ADORED by all. Added a lot of vanilla. A few weeks after the wedding I found one I had one frozen (freezes beautifully) and we celebrated again! Sometimes I add lemon rind. My grandmother used to make this for Jewish holidays every year from plums that grew on a tree in her yard.
10
Plum dumplings are a great variant of this recipe. The plums are wrapped inside a dough and boiled in water. They float to the top, andt sink when done. They are removed and then rolled in a brown sugar cinnamon mix to leave immature geodes which explode with a red, runny mix of dumpling and tart plum juice. You can add a little reserved sugar cinnamon mix to the top before eating. An Austrian recipe from the turn of the century (1900, not 2000!).
7
So many reasons to make this lovely, easy cake, but the most important is that it connects me to my mother, who made it right from the beginning and to my daughter who makes it now for her friends. It's the perfect recipe; it requires just enough attention to absorb me on a late-summer afternoon; it uses seasonal ingredients (I, too, love it best with the small purple Italian plums), and it's always, always a crowd pleaser.
18
I've made it many time, with Italian plums, peaches even pears and it never failed. The only "gimmick" I used was to line the bottom of the spring form pan so that releasing the torte is easier.
5
This torte is so good! I love this recipe! First found a mention of it on the Mason-Dixon Knitting blog some years ago. I was living in eastern Washington and prune plums abounded. Made and ate several every fall Harder to find in New Mexico; I buy and freeze plums so I can make this in the winter. Have not tried any other fruit but am determined to experiment with peaches. It's simple and very tasty!
5
Freezing the fruit? Do you do anything to it before freezing it, e.g. Syrup, pitting, etc.?
In 1983-1984, my wife and I were post-doctoral fellows in cardiology. She was in NYC, and I was in New Haven. We lived in the middle, in Stamford, and commuted in opposite directions. Didn't get to see each other much, but we did love this recipe, and made dozens and froze them. Each night, when we would Finally get home, we would defrost one, and share it over coffee. Kept us together through a rough patch. Now we are sending the recipe to our daughter, to bake for her husband. Thanks!
8
Not only have I been making this plum torte (maybe) since it first was printed in the NYTimes, a friend sent this article to me because I am 'known' for it.
Though I also make a different version of a plum (or apple) cake at Rosh Hashanah which is easier for large gatherings. It was my mother-in-law's recipe so has sentimental value as well. But the Burros recipe is unmatched.
Though I also make a different version of a plum (or apple) cake at Rosh Hashanah which is easier for large gatherings. It was my mother-in-law's recipe so has sentimental value as well. But the Burros recipe is unmatched.
20
I was just about to go on the prowl for the lovely Italian plums to make my annual batch of tortes. My family has always loved them startingin 1983. Those we we don't eat immediately are frozen and eaten at Thanksgiving.
I am planning to arrive for my son's wedding in L.A. on October 9 with some contraband tortes in my baggage. Thanks Marian Burros and The New York Times for sweetening our lives.
I am planning to arrive for my son's wedding in L.A. on October 9 with some contraband tortes in my baggage. Thanks Marian Burros and The New York Times for sweetening our lives.
17
Thank you to everyone helping out with my question about how the batter gets on top! Wonderful and I cant wait to get to the market and search for the plums.
Happy tart eating!!!!
Happy tart eating!!!!
3
I've made this cake often and it's usually eaten in one go. Everyone loves it. It's best with plums but works great with blueberries too.
8
I have made it so many times this summer alone, and my family and guests love it. You don't need a lot of fuss with good fruit, and there's nothing wrong with an easy recipe in the summertime.
3
For all of those that have made this can you share what size pan you used and how long to bake? Is 1 hour really accurate? That seems like a long time.
1
I use a 9-inch springform pan. The original recipe from Elegant But Easy says to bake for 40 to 50 minutes and test with a toothpick. That always works for me.
4
I use a 9" springform pan (and line the bottom with parchment paper. I usually check it after 50 minutes, but it really does often take 60, unless your oven runs hot.
2
Glad to read/hear this! I've been making the plum tart in all its glorious variations for years, as did my mother before me. We had a minor panic one year when neither of us could find our printed copies (this was years ago, before I mastered technology; my mother never did), but we found the recipe and began baking anew. It is a perfect recipe with many kinds of fruit, although Ms. Burros is correct: don't use the big mid-summer plums. Prune plums are great, and fresh apricots are nice, too.
6
In the summer I use the large plums and cut them in quarters and they work just fine. I also line the bottom of the pan with parchment as I give so many of them away.
Are mangos too soft for this tart. They are "in" right now and I'd love to try this.
2
We've never tested it with mangos, but we've heard of readers who have and been happy with the results!
3
This is my first time! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Off to the grocery for plums! ;-)
6
My mother, age 92, has been making this forever. She uses plums in season and apples the rest of the time. Her version uses oil instead of butter and I think it was included in a similar community type cookbook back in the day. In any event it is universally known to all who know her as Bea's Apple (plum) Cake. It's the best!
4
Would this work with honey or maple syrup substituted for the sugar?
1
I add 3 oz ground almonds to the batter for a little protein then serve this for breakfast (or lunch or dinner) with Greek yogurt. It's always a hit.
5
My mom still has the browning newspaper clipping from 1983. It comes out every September and hangs on the fridge till she's made a handful of the tortes. Several go in the freezer for eating during the winter, and several get consumed almost immediately. This torte is more than a recipe; it's a family tradition and the first smells of fall!
6
I'm looking forward to baking this sumptuous tart! It looks like batter is on top as well, but it doesn't say so in directions. Anyone?
The plums sink into the batter as it bakes. Comes out beautiful and delicious every time.
4
The fruit goes on top of the (somewhat stiff) batter and then sinks into it a bit. If I'm using very wet fruit, like peaches, pears, or nectarines, I often sprinkle the top with some almond meal/flour mixed with some sugar and cinnamon or other spices. The recipe can also be made with oil instead of butter.
2
The fruit on top sinks and the batter rises as it cooks.
1
Most years when I baked these it wasn't just 1 or 2 at a time. I baked a dozen or more so they could be frozen. Then in the depths of winter, out they'd come, one-by-one, often served with a nice dollop of crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream. Looking forward to preparing this year's bounty!
5
In my mum's ancient copy of the recipe, there was a very funny story about someone freezing six of them and then having someone else--mother-in- law? Babysitter?--eating half of them! Wonderful, never fail recipe (I've made it with plums, raspberries, peaches, blueberries, in an eight-inch pan and a ten-inch pan) and they DO freeze wonderfully.
2
I still use my yellowed 1983 copy of the original recipe. Thank you Ms. Burros and NYT. I made a hit serving it back then and it continues to give delicious
pleasure to family and friends every year.
pleasure to family and friends every year.
2
I have yet to try the recipe but will, given its history and adoration. And beyond that -- I love it already and also for what it is not: Politics, rage, and the fruit of division. Thank you, NYT, for that!
11
I made two...one with plums and one worth peaches and walnuts. I use less sugar and found a bit of milk makes the cake party tastier.
6
It is my go-to dessert for Rosh Hashanah. I love the story of Marion Burros leaving them in the freezer, and her guests eating the torts!
4
I make this tart every year for either rosh shoshanna or Yom kippur break the fast. The problem of course is that since sometimes the HH come too late or too early for the little Italian prune plums. I've sometimes made the tart when the plums are available but the defrosted tart is not as good as a fresh one. I too have torn out and printed out the recipe because, you never know, it could disappear from the NYT Cooking app. I add lots of apricot jam on topic the crust before putting on the plums.
3
The illustration on the cover of Elegant But Easy is fabulous! An image of a real, adult woman who is elegant, tastefully but stylishly clothed, and who clearly enjoys her elegant food. Not a skinny bobble-head wearing microscopic jeans and tops while claiming she's an expert on Italian cooking or whatever... I have to search eBay for this.
18
it looks like the recipe has many new and younger fans. I've been baking this torte since it was first published and, yes, I have the original edition which is now a yellow page and with a few stains. I finally got smart and made xerox copies not just for me but for the many family and friends that requested the recipe. It's plum season so start baking. You can freeze it, but it is never as good straight out of the oven. My only occasional addition are cranberries which has also been suggested. Thank you Ms. Burros for this wonderful recipe.
10
I like it best with tart fruit--the essential sweet mildness of the cake is offset nicely by something a little sharp!
2
My copy of this fabulous tore is also dog-eared and a little stained, but I won't part with it!! It is no less divine when made with apples and cranberries.
2
I moved to NYC in time for the first publication of "the" recipe. I enjoyed the follow up fuss and made it two years later. What a revolutions! I even substituted Crunch berry so fron Capitan Crunch cereal as a joke for a nephew and it was great! A true classic.
1
Jzzy55:
Sorry for your celiac diagnosis, but the torte is still wonderful made with gluten-free flour. I've made it several times this year already. You can use any GF flour; I used King Arthur all-purpose.
link: https://food52.com/recipes/14304-original-plum-torte-from-the-new-york-t...
Sorry for your celiac diagnosis, but the torte is still wonderful made with gluten-free flour. I've made it several times this year already. You can use any GF flour; I used King Arthur all-purpose.
link: https://food52.com/recipes/14304-original-plum-torte-from-the-new-york-t...
2
Where are the NY plums this year? Did they go the way of the peaches? I am missing this cake.
1
I first got the recipe in the 1994 version with apples and cranberries (Cranberries dry or fresh!-that is what is so great-so many things work well with the basic cake). Many friends like that version. I especially like it in the summer with peaches and blueberries but my family likes it with blackberries. About the only way I do not like it is with plums but after reading that the small fall plums work well, I am going to try that now.
Ha! I saw prune plums only yesterday in Fairway and bought them in preparation for the torte! The apple/cranberry version of it is pretty good too, and I make it at Thanksgiving.
2
Mine came from my 1896 Grand mother who called it Prune Cake, after the Italian plum orchard (Now primary lock at Bonneville Dam where she lived and learned to play golf in the early 30s. Could not find recipe and the different name did not help. With major help from KAF, I recreated it, intentionally a bit greaser cake but looks +/- the same. Cannot use too much fruit and only 'Italian Black Plum' will do. Short season, it also begs for ice cream. And YES, I know why I never found it: Ms. Burro's edition is 'plum' and G'ma called it 'prune.' When searching, I tried Every good baking site except TNYT cooking section. This torte - or cake is good and I can easily understand why it has become the most popular on your site. Thanks .
4
Perfect sign of fall. Made this in New York, Paris, Zurich and now with my own plums in Surrey, England. Simple enough to make first thing in the morning to give houseguests a delicious morning treat.
4
the plums she uses are 'prune plums' also used for making Slivovica , my mother used them also ... where is the Streussel and the whipped cream with brandy and vanilla... mmm german home cooking can't beat it .
2
Someone should make this for Hillary as a get well gesture. I would if I could!
5
On a September day in 1999 my friend Katharina and I 'found' some plums on a forgotten plum tree, on a walk between San Domenico and Maiano.
We went home and made what was basically this cake...flour, butter, sugar, eggs, salt, plums and something to make it rise.
My memory of that day and cake is tinted with the clear golden light that bathes the hillsides here in late Autumn.
We went home and made what was basically this cake...flour, butter, sugar, eggs, salt, plums and something to make it rise.
My memory of that day and cake is tinted with the clear golden light that bathes the hillsides here in late Autumn.
5
This recipe is nearly identical to one that I got from
my grandmother, and that I have been making for more than 25 years. My grandmother died in the late 1970's, and so I do not know the origin of her recipe, which she called "Hungarian Torte". It isn't clipped from a newspaper but is typewritten on a yellowing piece of onion skin, transparent with butter stains. The only difference between my grandmother's version and that of the NYTimes, is the substitution of grated lemon peel in lieu of lemon juice and cinnamon. It is very good, and very easy. I think I will continue making it the way I am accustomed to!
my grandmother, and that I have been making for more than 25 years. My grandmother died in the late 1970's, and so I do not know the origin of her recipe, which she called "Hungarian Torte". It isn't clipped from a newspaper but is typewritten on a yellowing piece of onion skin, transparent with butter stains. The only difference between my grandmother's version and that of the NYTimes, is the substitution of grated lemon peel in lieu of lemon juice and cinnamon. It is very good, and very easy. I think I will continue making it the way I am accustomed to!
2
I've made this torte many a time but not just with plums but nectarines and raspberries. Sometimes I add a tiny bit of almond extract. Never had a slice leftover, ever.
1
OMG! Pretty sure I have an actual clipping of the original in my last remaining folder of hand-written and clipped-from-newspaper-or-magazine recipes.
I feel so prescient.
I feel so prescient.
4
I made this for the first time this summer from the plums growing on our backyard tree, and then I made it again and again. It's the perfect blend of sweet and tart, sponge and crust. Please repost for next year's crop! And the next year, and the next.
2
This has been a staple, go-to recipe for so long I don't think I even need the recipe, but I'm glad it's still printed (or posted) for future generations to come. Timeless and simple, I hope someday my nieces and nephews will pull together friends and family over its eight easy ingredients. Thank you NYT Cooking for keeping the Original Plum Tort alive.
4
I grew up eating this cake! My Yiayia (grandmother), a born and raised New Yorker and phenomenal cook, made this for us as children. My mother continued the tradition by making it for us. Whenever we found the Italian Plums in the supermarket we would buy them and rush home together to bake. I had no idea it was a NYT recipe until years later I moved into an apartment in SF that had 3 Italian plum trees in my backyard and did a quick Google search for a plum cake recipe. The taste brings me back to my Yiayia and mother's kitchens every time I make it! I am 35 now and make it 3-4 times a summer. My children also love it. Thank you NYT!
6
I made this recipe when this article was posted in Sept 2016. I immediately after made another and froze it for another day. Delicious.
1
Several years ago, I got the plum torte recipe from my friend Judy, whose mother Ruth was making it in NYC. The three of us served it to our respective guests in Seattle and New York that evening. The recipe spread among our group of friends, and we ate it happily, many times.
Recently, a new friend gave me a bag filled with Italian prunes and served a very different plum cake. I dug out my Plum Torte recipe, and made it twice with Bobs Red Mill GF flour. It was light and delicious and made me so happy. I sent the recipe to my friend who reported back that she'd made multiple versions of plum tortes but that hands down my version (NYT) was the most popular. And so it lives on.
Recently, a new friend gave me a bag filled with Italian prunes and served a very different plum cake. I dug out my Plum Torte recipe, and made it twice with Bobs Red Mill GF flour. It was light and delicious and made me so happy. I sent the recipe to my friend who reported back that she'd made multiple versions of plum tortes but that hands down my version (NYT) was the most popular. And so it lives on.
This torte was the first dessert I ever baked on my own, in my own apartment, not from a box. Every time I make it, I think "I should make this more often."
7
Growing up, I lived exactly one mile away from my grandparents. My parents remind me of all my “sick” days spent at their house, playing losing games of Parcheesi with my grandma, building simple wooden boxes with my grandpa (that I would imagine into Barbie Boats or GI Joe helicopters), and – most memorably – baking cakes in the kitchen with both of them.
My grandma had long been chair bound, moving around with her cane, lovingly named “Junior,” and calling out to my grandpa across the intercoms he had installed in the kitchen and the living room. Over the years, as my grandma’s mobility and health declined, she had taught my grandpa to cook and bake from her kitchen chair, while reading off recipes transferred from cookbooks and newspaper clippings onto notecards. One of those recipes was the inimitable plum cake.
I sated my hunger through the year with a raisin spice cake that had no true seasonal affiliation. I played at rehydrating raisins in a steaming hot baking soda bath. But when my birthday came along during the sweltering final days of August, my grandpa would buy a big bag of prune plums and let me halve them, pit them, and drop them into messy rows in a thick, smooth batter. It wasn’t flashy or sugar coated, but it was the best birthday caked I’ve ever had. I still make it every summer and remember my days in a northwest side, Chicago kitchen, baking with my grandma and grandpa.
My grandma had long been chair bound, moving around with her cane, lovingly named “Junior,” and calling out to my grandpa across the intercoms he had installed in the kitchen and the living room. Over the years, as my grandma’s mobility and health declined, she had taught my grandpa to cook and bake from her kitchen chair, while reading off recipes transferred from cookbooks and newspaper clippings onto notecards. One of those recipes was the inimitable plum cake.
I sated my hunger through the year with a raisin spice cake that had no true seasonal affiliation. I played at rehydrating raisins in a steaming hot baking soda bath. But when my birthday came along during the sweltering final days of August, my grandpa would buy a big bag of prune plums and let me halve them, pit them, and drop them into messy rows in a thick, smooth batter. It wasn’t flashy or sugar coated, but it was the best birthday caked I’ve ever had. I still make it every summer and remember my days in a northwest side, Chicago kitchen, baking with my grandma and grandpa.
41
I'm curious...what were the other most-nominated recipes for the Essential New York Times Cookbook? I know my mother nominated David Eyre's pancake and got a response from Amanda Hesser letting her know that several other readers also suggested it the same day the request for submissions was published.
2
I have my mother's Elegant but Easy. 95 cents.
Page 154 has the fruit torte...all spotted with linear notes. ("I used 15 plums", "it's fabulous."). I brought this torte in a pizza box to my son and his wife in California. They couldn't believe I had made it. Made the trip cross country with no problems. I have laminated the recipe from The Times. It is so wonderful.
Page 154 has the fruit torte...all spotted with linear notes. ("I used 15 plums", "it's fabulous."). I brought this torte in a pizza box to my son and his wife in California. They couldn't believe I had made it. Made the trip cross country with no problems. I have laminated the recipe from The Times. It is so wonderful.
6
I have the Xerox copy my mother made of the recipe in the 1980s, splotched and faded from multi-generational use. No one has mentioned how wonderful the cake is without the fruit baked in. When the first strawberries arrive in the spring, they are piled on with fresh whipped cream!
2
A friend gave me the Times' plum torte recipe about 30 years ago. I have made it several times a year ever since, when Italian or other small plums are at their best, and have given the recipe to others. It is the best kind of recipe: easy, foolproof and really, really delicious.
3
It is a perfect recipe. And, if wrapped well (I recommend both freezer cling wrap and foil), a stack of them can keep well in a very cold freezer for many months (I've done at least 9 months, if memory serves) and pulled out as needed.
2
I looked for the recipe every September and I cut it out when Marion warned that her editors said that it would be the last time it would be in the paper. Still have it and I also have Amanda's cookbook for good measure. I make it every September with plums and every Christmas with cranberries for my beloved Uncle. Is it terrible that after all these years I call it "my" torte recipe ? Please don't anyone !
2
For reasons I do not understand, those oval purple Italian plums disappeared from my San Diego neighborhood supermarkets several years ago. No one at the stores seems to know why. September isn't the same without this wonderful plum torte. Can anyone out there help?
Fran,
The Italian plums are sometimes in the stores but only for a very short time so easy to miss them. Have to check all the grocery stores, all the time. Unfortunately.
When I make my other plum cake it works to use the larger plums and cut into 8ths and I have probably used them (cut in 4ths) in this torte as well.
Susan Ulevitch
The Italian plums are sometimes in the stores but only for a very short time so easy to miss them. Have to check all the grocery stores, all the time. Unfortunately.
When I make my other plum cake it works to use the larger plums and cut into 8ths and I have probably used them (cut in 4ths) in this torte as well.
Susan Ulevitch
1
I grew up eating this torte but I was an adult before I learned the recipe was something other than a time-honored family secret. I first saw it typed on a yellowed index card, stuffed into my mom's bursting recipe box. Its 1983 publication would have coincided with my family's move from New Jersey to Colorado, where we settled in a house with a plum tree. My birthday aligns with plum season, and I came to think of the torte as my own special treat, given to me through a magical confluence of geographic fate and seasonal fortuity. I make one for myself every year when Italian prune plums appear at Fairway, but it never tastes as good as the one my mom bakes, freezes, and serves me upon my first post-fall visit home.
10
An endlessly versatile recipe indeed! For those who prefer a less eggy version, try it this way:
Drop a stick of butter in the pan and then 350 degree oven to melt.
Mix:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tea baking powder
1/4 tea salt
1 cup milk
Pour into pan of melted butter, swirl together.
Drop generous cup of fruit on top
Bake 350 degrees for 45-50 min
Outstanding! And nothing is easier.
Drop a stick of butter in the pan and then 350 degree oven to melt.
Mix:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tea baking powder
1/4 tea salt
1 cup milk
Pour into pan of melted butter, swirl together.
Drop generous cup of fruit on top
Bake 350 degrees for 45-50 min
Outstanding! And nothing is easier.
3
And by the way, another name for it: Clafoutis!
2
That is almost my grandmother's fruit cobbler recipe, which is the easiest ever, and has won me many fans.
1
My mother used to make this torte and passed the recipe on to my sister, brothers and me. I make it frequently during prune plum and mirabelle season and it has become my husband's favorite dessert in a country with no lack of delicious and much fancier desserts. French friends here ask for the recipe so frequently that I keep a stock of photocopies of it to give them.
8
Basically, any dessert involving cooked Italian prune plums and cake or pastry is about the most divine dessert ever. I would try this, except my all-time favorite dessert is from Gourmet in 1975 and was called "Plum Kuchen" but it really was more of a tart. Pressed shortbread crust, layer of sweetened plums, layer of sour cream/egg. Killer good.
5
You got me curious and so I did some looking....I think this Plum Kuchen recipe must be the one you mean: https://365pwords.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/prunes-er…dried-plums/
I know what I'm doing this weekend!
I know what I'm doing this weekend!
1
It seems several nationalities has claimed this torte as I shall. This is definitely a Hungarian torte made with Hungarian plums. Since the plums have a very short season, I buy quite a few pounds to make many tortes and freeze them. If I have oranges on hand I sometimes add orange zest; always sprinkle top wth cinnamon sugar before baking. Everyone who's has had this dessert at my home loves it very much.
9
We have similar version in Poland (with plums we call "węgierki" - Hungarian women :) ), just usually it is rectangular in shape and after baking sprinkled with icing sugar - rounded version I have seen with strawberries or other soft fruit, or apples. Will I be the first person who doesn't like it?
1
I used to eat lunch in a small-ish room furnished with a conference room sized table, a refrigerator and a sink. As the lone female among the many men in an engineering / surveying firm, I often felt out of place. The times I ate with the men were enlightening to me because most of them told stories of their youths on the farm, which was far from my upbringing. (This is where I learned "Foghorn Leghorn" in the BugsBunny cartoons came from an actual breed of chickens!) Although I grew up in Manhattan, KS, I wasn't raised on a farm or in any sense in an agricultural setting.
One particular day at my lunch I happened to bring a couple green plums. They were new to me, but looked good when I bought them the evening before at the local supermarket, Bakers. One of the surveyors was interested in that he'd never seen green plums before. He said, "Where do those come from?" I said, "I don't know. Bakers."
Now I wish I'd known of this great plum torte recipe back then, because those green plums were very tasty. I'm going to have to try this recipe, albeit 20 years after my introduction to green plums.
One particular day at my lunch I happened to bring a couple green plums. They were new to me, but looked good when I bought them the evening before at the local supermarket, Bakers. One of the surveyors was interested in that he'd never seen green plums before. He said, "Where do those come from?" I said, "I don't know. Bakers."
Now I wish I'd known of this great plum torte recipe back then, because those green plums were very tasty. I'm going to have to try this recipe, albeit 20 years after my introduction to green plums.
19
My mother, who is now 89, makes several of these every fall when the Italian plums come in. She always calls me to report, "So I made the plum tortes again!". A seasonal sign for both of us that she is still alive and well.
Last year on my regular dog walks I noticed a plum tree in a side yard. Over the course of the summer I saw it flower, and then produce fruit. When the tree was literally drooping with Italian plums -- a bumper crop -- I waylaid the homeowner as he was walking into his house. "Can I have a few of the plums that have fallen on the ground?" I asked shamelessly. "If you give me enough I will make you a plum torte." He said to take as many as I wanted, so I took quite a few.
I made three tortes, but by the third one I was getting a little bored and got distracted -- so I used double the butter in that one. It looked pretty good so I gave it to the plum tree guy, who reported back that it was "fantastic, best I've ever had."
This year I have been diagnosed with celiac, so I'm not sure what I would be doing about the torte. It doesn't matter, though, as this year the tree is, sadly, barren. We're having a drought and there is no local stone fruit this year.
Last year on my regular dog walks I noticed a plum tree in a side yard. Over the course of the summer I saw it flower, and then produce fruit. When the tree was literally drooping with Italian plums -- a bumper crop -- I waylaid the homeowner as he was walking into his house. "Can I have a few of the plums that have fallen on the ground?" I asked shamelessly. "If you give me enough I will make you a plum torte." He said to take as many as I wanted, so I took quite a few.
I made three tortes, but by the third one I was getting a little bored and got distracted -- so I used double the butter in that one. It looked pretty good so I gave it to the plum tree guy, who reported back that it was "fantastic, best I've ever had."
This year I have been diagnosed with celiac, so I'm not sure what I would be doing about the torte. It doesn't matter, though, as this year the tree is, sadly, barren. We're having a drought and there is no local stone fruit this year.
53
Substitute gluten free flour and you should be fine. I had to adapt my baking after my dad's Celiac diagnosis and my husband's gluten intolerance and I found this to work in most recipes.
8
I have been making a version of this cake for over 50 years, when I was given the recipe by a dear friend. It is the most delightful little treat and can be easily
tailored to honor any fruit in season. Almond extract takes it a notch higher; a sprinkle of cinnamon on top before baking brings the essence of fall to the table; and a drizzle of icing on top made with confectioners sugar and cream pleases the frosting crazies among us. The crust gets a bit crunchy, and a dab of freshly whipped cream next to it on the plate is heaven. In my file it is called "Fruit Torte".
tailored to honor any fruit in season. Almond extract takes it a notch higher; a sprinkle of cinnamon on top before baking brings the essence of fall to the table; and a drizzle of icing on top made with confectioners sugar and cream pleases the frosting crazies among us. The crust gets a bit crunchy, and a dab of freshly whipped cream next to it on the plate is heaven. In my file it is called "Fruit Torte".
6
Similar to a family recipe from my German grandmother that our family called "kuchen". When made with the prune plums we called it "Pflaumenkuchen" and with apples, "Apfulkuchen". The plums or apples were coated with cinnamon sugar and pushed into the top of the dough and streusel was sprinkled over all.
After I started my own home, I used to buy loads of the plums, cut in half and freeze so I could make the pflaumenkuchen all winter long.
Reminds me, I'd better get to the store to get some plums so I can start kuchen.
After I started my own home, I used to buy loads of the plums, cut in half and freeze so I could make the pflaumenkuchen all winter long.
Reminds me, I'd better get to the store to get some plums so I can start kuchen.
45
My Oma made them, too, as well as my Tante Mimi. Heaven. Sprinkle sugar on it about five minutes before it is done. Serve "mit Schlag" - with whipped cream. Great memories.
1
Yes, it is like my Grandma's kuchen, too, and also a recipe a German friend of mine had memorized.
She made it with sour cherries and lots of sugar.
She made it with sour cherries and lots of sugar.
2
Plum kuchen a la NYT with the diminished sugar. I have an almost identical family recipe of German origin (northern Germany, tributary of the Rhine). It was passed down in the family going back at least to into the early 1800s. Never with apples, our apple kuchen was totally different and closer to a French tart.
The original sugar measure was always open to debate. What kind of sugar? It was originally made with those large coarse cubes ground up and measured in cubes and before that the sugar that required tongs to break down solid hard cones.
The original sugar measure was always open to debate. What kind of sugar? It was originally made with those large coarse cubes ground up and measured in cubes and before that the sugar that required tongs to break down solid hard cones.
1
This is, hands down, my favorite recipe. A former commuter-van colleague showed up with it one day around 1988, insisting that we all must have it - and it's been my annual ritual, when the Italian plums are available, ever since. It keeps really well in the freezer so I always try to make several, and it's great with blueberries instead of plums.
24
Somewhere, I still have the original recipe in the newspaper column floating around. And I still make the plum torte - albeit with blueberries or peaches if I don't have the prune-plums. I used to keep one in my freezer for unexpected company.
It is, indeed, elegant but easy.
It is, indeed, elegant but easy.
20
A wonderful and well-deserved eulogy to plum torte. However, there are other fruit that can be successfully used instead of plums in the recipe: for example, peaches, apricots, cherries, etc.
I find it inexcusable that none of the desert recipes address the important question of adding an alcoholic beverage and, if yes, what? Alcohol gives the desert a bite that improves the enjoyment.
I find it inexcusable that none of the desert recipes address the important question of adding an alcoholic beverage and, if yes, what? Alcohol gives the desert a bite that improves the enjoyment.
6
Not a eulogy. It is not dead. It will live forever. Because it is easy, delicious, and as noted, endlessly adaptable. I have made it with plums, all other stone fruits, apples, cranberries (alone and in combination), blueberries and other berries, and just about any other fruit that can be baked sufficiently in the time it takes a cake to bake. I have yet to use quince, because they need precooking, but maybe I'd try that this year.
If you must include alcohol, which it does not need, soak dried fruit in a complementary eau de vie to plump, drain well, and use as directed. That should take care of your craving for a "desert" recipe with alcohol.
If you must include alcohol, which it does not need, soak dried fruit in a complementary eau de vie to plump, drain well, and use as directed. That should take care of your craving for a "desert" recipe with alcohol.
26
Each summer I make them for the Inverness (CA) town fair bake sale with wild plums, Rhubarb, huckleberries and blackberries from within about 200 feet of my house. A big seller.
2
Try putting a sugar cube soaked in slivovitsa inside the Italian prune plum.
I have been using the Elegant but Easy cookbook my entire adult life, reducing the sugars but otherwise enjoying their delicious recipes.
9