New Fruit - Lemon Plum & Stone Fruit Cobbler

The other day I was delighted to spy a brand new-to-me fruit in my local grocery store, a Lemon Plum!

Wikipedia says: A lemon plum is a rare fruit imported from Chile, it resembles the taste of a plum, and is very sweet and juicy. They have a similar shape to a lemon and when unripe they have a bright yellow color. As they ripen, their color changes from yellow to a golden orange and then finally to a dark sunset reddish purple when ripe. They have a slightly floral, very fragrant smell. Their peak availability in the United States is very short and is typically within the month of February.

They were nested there amongst a small selection of other stone fruits. I was drawn to their rounded tear drop shape and gorgeous color palate. They smelled fantastic so I scooped up a few and before I left the store I knew exactly what I was going to do with my new fruit find.

Last summer I came across a food.com recipe called Fresh Peach Crumble. I was really excited to try it but it wasn't until it came out of the oven that I realized I did not follow the directions. Whoops! The result was not a crumble but a cobbler with a lovely biscuit crust. I was in love!

I have reworked the recipe a few more times and I couldn't wait to try it with the Lemon Plums. When fresh they had a nice crisp taste playfully marrying the flavors of plum and lemon. After they were cooked the flavors deepened and the natural sugars caramelized deliciously.

On a week that I cooked the last of the Fall squash, prepped my garden for Spring, and watched Wintry snow fall past my windows - it seems only fitting to enjoy a dessert that is purely Summer.

Stone Fruit Cobbler

Inspired by Fresh Peach Crumble on food.com

Fruit

8 cups sliced stone fruit
1 ½ TB honey
2 TB Flour
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
zest of ½ a lemon (around 1 tsp)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Crust

⅔ c. flour
⅓ c. sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
scant ¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
¼ c. coconut oil (or butter), melted and cooled to room temperature

Instructions

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees
In a large bowl toss fruit slices with honey, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice and zest.
Arrange fruit in a glass or ceramic baking dish (11x7).
In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients for the crust, add the beaten egg and oil.
Drop small spoonfuls of dough over the fruit spreading it a little and making sure all areas get an equal amount.
Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until crust is golden and no longer gooey.

Makes 8 Summery servings