Plum Torte

This plum dessert is somewhere between a tart and a cake and will double up as either. It can be made with other fruit as well so it's very versatile. Serve it hot or cool (but not too cold).

It's really just a variation on any number of similar dishes to be found throughout Europe and it's very simple to make. It's also pretty much foolproof, and you might find the kids interested enough to give you a hand, once you get past the creaming stage.

Here's what you need for a family sized torte:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup of flour
• 125g butter (half a stick)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• salt
• about 10 plums, depending on the size
• some extra sugar and a sprinkling of cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F

Cut the plums in half and remove the stones.

Cut the butter into small pieces and cream it into the sugar. You could use a mixer for this but the most effective way is still with a wooden spoon. 'To cream it' means to work the butter and sugar together until they are thoroughly mixed and the butter turns white. Then beat in the eggs.

Sift the flour, baking soda and a pinch of salt together and vigorously stir these into the mix. This will give you a basic sweet batter mix that is thick and feels quite heavy. Don't worry about that, the baking soda will lift it.

Spread this over the bottom of a 22cm (about 9 inch) springform pan and place the plums, cut-side down, on top of it, starting in the centre and making a pinwheel towards the outside edge.

Sprinkle some cinnamon over the top plus about 2 tablespoons of sugar. Put this in the oven and bake for one hour. Allow the finished torte to cool in a partly opened oven to about room temperature before serving.

The batter mix will rise during cooking and cover the plums, which in turn will sink slightly as they cook giving you a perfect finish. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

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