Plums Poached In Vanilla Cinnamon Anise Recipes

POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• To prepare the plums: wash and cut them into quarters, then remove the stones.
• Tip the sugar into a pan with 225ml water, the cinnamon and vanilla. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Slide the fruit into the syrup. Bring the pan to the boil, then let it simmer for 5-10 mins - depending on the ripeness - until the plums are soft. Leave to cool slightly and serve as they are with something creamy.

CINNAMON PLUMS WITH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• For the plums: Put the cranberry juice and sugar into a wide saucepan and stir to help start dissolving the sugar. Then put the saucepan over a low heat until the sugar dissolves entirely.
• Halve the plums and remove the pits, then halve them again if they are big brutes.
• Once the sugar's dissolved into the red liquid, add the cinnamon stick, then turn the heat up, bring to the boil and let the pan bubble away for a couple of minutes until the mixture is on the way to becoming syrupy.
• Now turn the syrup down to a simmer and add the plum halves or quarters and cook them gently for about 10 minutes, although note that this is based on starting off with viciously unripe fruits so you might need less time.
• Once the plums are tender but not disintegrating, remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave to keep warm. You can make the plums in advance and either serve them at room temperature with the French toast or warm them up again.
• For the French toast: Whisk together the eggs, milk, ground cinnamon and sugar in a pie dish.
• Sit 2 pieces of bread in the eggy mixture, turning after each side has soaked up enough to color the bread yellow, so that it absorbs the liquid but doesn't fall to pieces.
• Melt half the butter in a frying pan and cook the 2 soaked pieces of bread for a couple of minutes each side. Transfer the yellow, eggy bread, scorched golden in parts, to warm waiting plates. Meanwhile, soak the next 2 slices.
• Melt the remaining butter to cook the last 2 slices in the same way.
• Serve alongside the beautiful scarlet plum compote.
• Make Ahead Note: The compote can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to bowl to cool, then cover and refrigerate. Warm the compote gently in saucepan before serving.
• Freeze Note: Cooled compote can be frozen in airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above.

VANILLA POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise.
• Scrape seeds into a small bowl, discard bean (or place in a container of sugar for a very pleasant vanilla scented sugar) Add sugar, and stir well.
• Place plums in a 1 quart baking dish, add sugar mixture and lemon juice, tossing gently to coat.
• Dot with margarine, cover and bake at 400f degrees for 20 minutes or until plums are tender, stirring once.

PLUMS POACHED IN MARSALA

Steps:

• Preset oven to 180C (350F).
• Cut plums in half and remove stones.
• Place plums, cut side up, into a rectangular baking dish- corningware, pyrex or similar.
• In a large jug, combine Marsala, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar and lemon rind.
• Mix well then pour this mixture evenly over the plums.
• Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 40 minutes, turning plums over after 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven and strain liquid into a small saucepan.
• Remove the lemon rind and discard.
• Make a paste with the arrowroot and a little water and add to the juice in the saucepan.
• Place pan over a medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until it reaches simmering point.
• Simmer sauce for about 5 minutes until it is slightly thickened and glossy- it will thicken more as it cools.
• Pour the liquid back over the plums.
• Serve plums hot or cold with cream or ice-cream.