Plum Crumble with Cardamom and Pistachios
August was prime produce season in Washington, as I mentioned probably too many times in previous posts. Bon Appetit had a Farmer’s Market Challenge including 10 recipes for the month, and this crumble was the grand finale. This is a delightful, simple recipe that comes together quite easily for a dinner party… and is great for breakfast the next morning! I love the cardamom instead of oft-used cinnamon, and pistachios give a nice texture to the crumble topping so it isn’t too mushy without any oats for texture. I made the recipe as is, but it lends itself well to substitutions. Don’t like the flavor of cardamom or don’t have any on hand? Use cinnamon. Nut allergy? Leave out the pistachios.
Cardamom is a spice native to Southern India, and is the world’s 3rd most expensive spice (behind vanilla and saffron). It is common in Indian dishes (in everything from curry to masala chai), but also shows up in Nordic baking recipes and its use has expanded to cover a wide variety of both sweet and savory dishes with globalization. According to sources of varying repute, there are a number of health benefits of cardamom. Supposedly, the spice can help prevent colorectal cancer, lower blood pressure, and combat digestive issues. It has anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-spasmodic properties. It can be used to fight halitosis, blood clots, and dental cavities. It is an aphrodisiac. Drinking the water after boiling cardamom pods is said to be an effective cure for hiccups. Be right back, I’m restocking on cardamom…
- 3 lb any variety ripe plums, sliced ⅓" thick (about 8 cups)
- 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup plus ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- ¾ tsp ground cardamom, divided
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 Tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped pistachios
- Place oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350°F.
- Toss plums, lemon zest, lemon juice, cornstarch, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. cardamom in a large bowl. Let sit until some juices accumulate, 5–10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pulse flour and remaining ⅓ cup brown sugar, ½ tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. cardamom in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture is like wet sand and starts to form clumps.
- Transfer plums and the juices to a 9" deep pie dish. Sprinkle crumble topping over the fruit, squeezing small fistfuls in your hand to bring it together, then breaking into smaller pieces of varying sizes. Sprinkle pistachios evenly over topping.
- Bake crumble until juices are thickened and bubbling and top is golden brown, 40–45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.