Plum Crumble Pie – Autumn Dessert

At this time of year, plums are abundant. So, naturally, pies and crumbles are thought of. In this instance, though, my thoughts combine the two for a Plum Crumble Pie. So, for that, a pie crust, a filling, and a crumble for the top have to be made.

The Plum Crumble Pie Recipe Has 3 Main Elements

A rich and buttery pie crust is considered best. Then, for the filling, some sugar gives sweetness to juicy plums. For the crumble, adding hazelnuts and coconut into the mixture makes it perfect. Just from that brief description, it is clear that the recipe has three main elements. Each, in turn, is fairly simple. But in combination, they work so well together to create a really splendid dessert.

Dealing with each element individually keeps things nice and easy, even though time is taken by the recipe.

Pie Crust

I read about a technique that helps to keep the pastry soft and pliable, to provide an easy to roll pie crust. The method uses two portions of flour and butter. Combine one portion of each until they clump together. Then, break the clump into small pieces, and add the remaining flour. Next mix in the remaining but and add some water to form a very wet dough. Chill the dough well before rolling out and chilling again.

Crumble

The crumble is very easy to make, simply combine flour, sugar, salt, hazelnuts, coconut and cold butter. Process the mixture until it is quite finely crumbed. Then chill the crumble mixture. Of course you can use other ingredients to make a crumble to suit your specific taste, such as oats and almonds.

Pie Filling

The plum filling is easy too. Stir lemon juice into sliced plums. Then stir in cornflour to thicken. Add sugar to sweeten Then leave the filling to sit for a short while before assembling the pie. You can choose whichever variety of plum you prefer, or is more readily available.

Baking

The starting temperature for baking is quite high 220C/200C Fan/425F. That gives a boost to cooking the pastry case. Then a lower temperature of 190C/170C Fan/375F completes the baking.

My Plum Crumble Pie

The result is a really delicious crumble pie. But it is not ready to eat. Though it can be served hot, or warm, it doesn’t slice cleanly. So it is best to cool the pie completely before slicing. I left mine for 5 hours. Tasting my crumble pie I enjoyed the rich, nicely cooked, pastry. The filling was sweet and succelent too. Then the icing on the cake, so to speak, was a really wonderful crumble with the great combination of hazelnut and coconut. You can serve the pie as you wish, but it works so well with custard. It also matches perfectly with vanilla ice-cream. This pie is now one of my firm favourites.

Another great pie recipe is Perfect Strawberry Pie.

Plum Crumble Pie – Autumn Dessert

Recipe by geoffcooCourse: DessertsCuisine: InternationalDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

41

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Ingredients

• Pie Crust

• 113g(8 tbsp) cold butter, cubed

• 28g(2 tbsp) cold butter shredded

• 108g(2/3 cup+1tbsp, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) plain flour

• 70g(1/3 cup+2 tbsp, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) plain flour

• 13g(1 tbsp) caster sugar

• 3g(1/2 tsp) salt

• 60ml(1/4 cup) ice cold water

• Crumble Topping

• 150g(3/4 cup) caster sugar

• 70g(1/2 cup) hazelnuts

• 50g(1/2 cup) shredded, or desccated coconut

• 130g(2/3cup+3 tbsp, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) plain flour

• 84g(6 tbsp) cold butter, cubed

• 1.5g(1/4 tsp) salt

• Pie Filling

• 900g(2 lb) plums stoned and sliced

• 150g(3/4 cup) caster sugar

• 32g(4 tbsp) cornflour – see note below

• 15ml(1 tbsp) lemon juice

Directions

• In the bowl of a food processor place the sugar, 108g flour and salt, pulse a few times.
• Add 113g butter and process until the mixture clumps together.
• Break the clumped mixture into small pieces in the processor bowl
• Add the 70g flour and pulse until the mixture is broken up into breadcrumb-like texture.
• Tip the mixture into a large bowl and mix in the well chilled shredded butter, until coated.
• Add about half the water and mix until everything forms a sticky dough.
• Add the remaing water and mix in until fully combined into a very wet dough.
• Tip the dough onto some plastic wrap and cover it, forming it into a disc.
• Chill the dough in the fridge for at least two hours.
• Place the sugar and hazelnuts into the food processor and blitz to break the hazelnuts into small chunks.
• Add the coconut, flour and salt and process to a coarse sandy texture.
• Then add the butter and pulse again to obtain a still quite rough texture with some butter pieces still showing.
• Place the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate it until required.
• One a well floured work surface roll out the. pastry, keeping it floured, to about 14 inches (35cm) diameter.
• Carefully transfer the pastry into a 9 inch(23 cm) pie dish, pressing gently around the side.
• Tuck any excess pastry under the edge to form a thicker crust.
• Chill the pastry until required.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/425F, placing a baking tray in the oven to heat too.
• Place the sliced plums into a large bowl and stir in the lemon juice.
• Mix the sugar and cornflour together and sprinkle over the plum, then stir until all the plum slices are coated in the cornflour and sugar.
• Spoon the pie filling into the pie crust and spread it out, doming slightly in the centre.
• Sprinkle the crumble topping over the filling, ensuring it is all covered, Squeeze the crumble as you sprinkle to create little lumps here and there.
• Place the assemble crumble pie onto the heated baking tray, in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes.
• Then reduce the oven temperature to 190C/170C Fan/375F and bake for a further 30 minutes.
• Remove the crumble pie from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

• You can use only 3 tbsp of cornflour which will make the pie a little juicier.