Grand Central Bakery | The Joy of Prunes

The Joy of Prunes

I love prunes. I love prunes the way some people love chocolate. I love their deep, dark complex flavor, the way they soak up bourbon, brandy or tea and their lush, slightly sticky chew when baked in a cake, tart or custard.

It is a maligned fruit, better known for its digestive properties than for its taste, which is too bad. If anything, the prune is romantic-think Agen prune, Armagnac and pruneaux. Aren't those lovely words that evoke a wintery French countryside? Keep your dried plums-I'm sticking with prunes.

I am a prune proselytizer. I have converted many a young baker by insisting they try our really delicious prune Danish. First there is a wide-eyed look of horror when I say we're making prune Danish; then there is a wrinkling of the nose when I cut them a slice. This is quickly followed by a wide-eyed look of surprise and pleasure. I have had many Grand Central employees rush up to me, grab me by the arm, and declare their love of the prune Danish. As you can imagine, this is deeply satisfying.

Prune Danish, anyone?

One of the ways I use prunes at home is in clafoutis, the French cake-custard studded with fruit. For the whole story and recipe and really great picture, please see The Grand Central Baking Book pg.138. Clafoutis is great all year ‘round, but the prune is especially smart and nice in winter. It is one of my all-time favorite desserts, both to make and eat. It is unbelievably easy (I'm pretty sure I can get one into the oven in under 2 minutes. Seriously.), but it is show-stoppingly beautiful.

When the clafoutis is pulled from the oven it is glamorously puffed with shimmering sugar shards jutting up like some delicious geological event. The prunes are dark and shiny, the pale interior of the custard just visible.

"Oooooh! Ahhhhh!"

It collapses quickly, so you must make sure to show your guests the clafoutis the moment it comes out of the oven. There is usually oohing and ahhing and occasionally clapping of hands. Then, as with most desserts worth your time, a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream (or really, any ice cream you like) on a piping hot wedge of the clafoutis, and your work is done. You will have undoubtedly converted more prune lovers.