Honey Roasted Plums with Almond

This super simple recipe for Honey Roasted Plums with Almond brings out the fruit’s natural sweetness and really lets it shine.

Not long ago, Mike went through a phase where he was bringing home a couple pounds of plums at least every other day. I like plums well enough, but they’re really not one of my favorite summer fruits (because of the existence of things like cherries and peaches). The issue then becomes how to eat roughly 8 to 10 pounds of plums per week. (My hubby is the type who thinks every time he goes through a particular food phase I want to join him.)

I started roasting the plums, just for something a little different, and then I sort-of became hooked. Like any other fruit/vegetable, plums get soft and caramel-y when roasted. Their natural sweetness is enhanced and accentuated, making them perfectly enjoyable as-is, but also lovely for topping with a dollop of yogurt or coconut “whipped cream” for a lusciously smooth, cool contrast.

Here I use just a touch of honey for sweetener; you shouldn’t need more if your plums are ripe, especially since they’ll become sweeter after roasting. Almonds add nutty flavor and crunch, and a pinch of mahlab adds complexity. If you’re not familiar with mahlab, it’s a spice made from the ground seed kernels of the St Lucie cherry. To me, its flavor tastes like a combination of almonds and cherries, so I tend to use a little bit of it in most recipes that I make with either almonds or cherries. (When I say a little bit, I do mean a little bit though…use mahlab sparingly because it can easily overpower a dish. But just a touch of it is magic.)

This is the perfect light summer dessert when you want just a little something sweet. It also works well chilled for breakfast, served on top of thick Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.

Honey Roasted Plums with Almond

 

Author: Faith

Nutrition Information

• Yields: 2 servings

• Serving size: 1/2 of recipe
• Calories: 162

• Fat: 4
• Saturated fat: 1
• Trans fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 19
• Sugar: 16
• Sodium: 291
• Fiber: 2
• Protein: 2
• Cholesterol: 0

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  15 mins

Total time:  20 mins

Print

The natural sweetness of plums is accentuated by roasting; mahlab adds complexity and honey highlights the sweetness.

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil, to grease the dish
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 1 pinch mahlab
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 3 medium ripe plums (I used red plums, but any kind you like will work), halved and pitted
• 1 tablespoon raw almonds, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F; grease a 9-inch pie plate or 8 by 8-inch casserole dish with the coconut oil.
2. Whisk the honey, water, mahlab, and sea salt together until the honey is dissolved.
3. Put the plums (cut side up) into the prepared dish, drizzle on the honey syrup, and sprinkle on the almonds.
4. Roast until tender, but not mushy, about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Serve the plums warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

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