Aunt Essie's Plum Cobbler

We went to dinner with some old friends the other night, and I invited them back to the house for some cards and conversation afterward, so I wanted to make a dessert that would please them. I wanted something that would make them feel special, but would still be homey. Once again I turned to my trusty recipe for Aunt Essie's Plum Cobbler. The original recipe was published in Family Circle Magazine as "Essie's Plum Cobbler" and attributed to The Best from Libby Hillman's Kitchen (Countryman Press, Woodstock, Vermont). It calls for unsalted butter, and no additional salt, but that's not how I bake! For years this wonderful dessert has completed a meal with friends and family, with everyone feeling satisfied at the end. 

*Note: The only changes I've made to it were according to the type of plums available, the method of preparation (I use my food processor, but you can mix it up by hand if you like), the use of salted butter,  and the addition of a little more cinnamon than the original called for. It's goes together in a snap, and tastes like Grammie's been baking (actually, she has!) I hope you give this a try - it's great any time of year, but is a wonderful finish to a fall or winter meal.

Aunt Essie's Plum Cobbler    

For a 9-10" quiche/tart baking dish 

(I doubled the recipe for my Pampered Chef stoneware baking dish, and since I  couldn't get small black plums, which are sweeter than the red ones, I used 5 gigantic red ones, quartered, then each slice cut in half width-wise. I sprinkled 2-4 T. of granulated sugar over the top of the plums before adding the topping, since they are more sour than their black counterparts.                                                          

1/4 cup light brown sugar

5-6 small black plums

1 cup flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 t. Kosher salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 egg

1 stick salted butter, melted

Vanilla ice cream to serve

Preheat oven to 350°F. Evenly distribute the brown sugar over the bottom of the baking dish.Quarter (see *note above) & pit the plums, and place them cut sides up over the brown sugar. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, salt & cinnamon. Add the egg and pulse 5-10 times to make a shaggy dough. Pile the dough over the plums and smooth out evenly. Melt the butter in the microwave (usually 1 minute on high), and pour over the flour mixture. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet (you'll thank me later), and bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes, until light golden brown on top. Let cool 10 minutes before serving with good vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Laura