Italian Plum Torte - a family tradition for end of summer and Christmas morning

Italian Plums - little, dusky purple plums (sometimes called prune plums) are available once a year in your local grocery store. I wait till they are about $1.50 lb and buy about 100 which will give me enough for about 5 tortes. I make 1 or 2 that week and the family devours them.

I freeze the rest to be used for my Christmas morning plum torte treat.





To freeze:

Wash and lightly dry plums. Cut in half length-wise and flash freeze by placing face down in a single layer on a pan lined with wax or parchment paper. Place in freezer for about 1 hour, then remove to a freezer bag. These can be used straight from the freezer in the torte recipe.

 Italian Plum Torte

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour, sifted (I never bother)
1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

lemon juice

Cinnamon and sugar mix

Cream butter and sugar in bowl. Mix flour, salt, and baking powder in another bowl; add to butter/sugar and stir. Add two eggs and mix.

Pour torte batter into torte pan (I love my pampered chef one that has a bottom that pushes up and out for serving.) Place plum halves face down on top of batter, covering as much empty space as you can. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice and cinnamon/sugar.

Bake at 350F for 1 hour. (If you are using a dark non-stick pan, check it at 50 minutes since it sometimes cooks faster.) It will look very brown on top because of the cinnamon, but you want it almost crisp on top.

Serve warm plain, with fresh whipped cream, or vanilla bean ice cream.

I wish I could include the smell of it cooking!!