Plum Sponge Pudding

I mentioned having made a peach plum sponge the other day and promised then to share the recipe with you. So here it is. You can make plum sponge with almost anything--peaches, berries, cherries, apples, any fruit will do--but I was reminded today that it really is best when made with plums. Their tartness stands up to the sugar, they cook down to the most enjoyable consistency, and they give the pudding a beautiful pink color. I guess they called it Plum Sponge Pudding for a reason.

Like most of the recipes from Farmhouse Cookery, Plum Sponge takes next to nothing to put together. This is one of those desserts you can make in a pinch, even when the pantry seems all but bare, and what emerges from the oven is definitely more than the sum of its parts.

Plum Sponge Pudding

adapted from Farmhouse Cookery

• 1 pound plums
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Tbs. water

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 1-quart (or slightly smaller) ovenproof bowl and set aside.
• Wash and halve plums, removing the stones. Put the plums and brown sugar in the baking dish in alternate layers.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture and egg alternately to butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the water.
• Cover fruit with the sponge mixture and bake about 50 minutes, or until top of the sponge is springy to the touch. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with cream, ice cream, or custard.