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Like many Australians, I’m a little bit in love with Maggie Beer. She’s warm and unpretentious. She’s got a great way about her. And, her recipes work. Even if she is a wee bit too addicted to verjuice!

I like her food philosophy, too: “Seasonal produce, picked at its peak of ripeness, is the basis of everything I do – it’s all about the flavour. Taste and quality are paramount … I hope I can share my love of a good food life with you all.”

Her sultana cake is one of my go-to baking recipes. Seriously good.

Maggie Beer

Maggie Beer
(Image from Maggie Beer.com)

This week I’ve got my Mum and Dad visiting from New Zealand. We’ve been talking all things Christmas and planning the family time that is fast approaching in a week or two. We’ll be spending some time at their beach-house while we’re all together. There’s a big plum-tree in the garden and it is heavy with fruit at this time of year.

Last year, I made Jared Ingersoll‘s Drunken Aunties’ Plum Trifle. It was most yummy, if somewhat labour intensive. This year, I thought we might be a little less ambitious…

Dad, this one’s for you.

Maggie Beer's Plum Cobbler

Maggie Beer’s Plum Cobbler
(Image from MaggieBeer.com)

Maggie Beer’s Plum Cobbler

500g blood plums (cut in half, stone removed)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp verjuice

Topping

1/2 packet ginger snap biscuits (blended to a fine crumb)
2 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup almond flakes (toasted, to serve)
Runny cream (to serve)

Preheat a fan forced oven to 180C.

Place the plums into a baking dish and dot each plum half with the a little butter, sprinkle with two tablespoons of brown sugar and drizzle with two tablespoons of Verjuice. Place the plums into the pre heated oven to cook for 15 minutes.

While the plums are cooking combine the remaining ingredients for the cobbler topping into a mixing bowl and rub through the butter until it looks like coarse bread crumbs.

Once the plums have been in the oven for the 15 minutes remove, top with the cobbler mixture and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with almonds and serve warm with runny cream.

Maggie Beer has a number of cook books (my favourite is Maggie’s Kitchen). If you’d like to learn more about her, check out her website here. She has a recipe for a Dutch Ginger Cake that might just be next on my list to try…