I’m half French, my father is from Alsace, so I’ve always had a connection to the region and its food. When I was visiting my grandmother in Alsace this summer, her garden was full of quetsch plums. They were just on the brink of being ripe, with some ready to pick and others still a little firm, and I couldn’t resist picking some to make this simple plum crumble.
Quetsch are a small, deep-purple plum variety that is particularly associated with Alsace and neighbouring parts of France. They have a lovely balance of sweetness and acidity, and I especially like using them in baking because they soften beautifully while still keeping some of their shape. If you are picking your own, or buying quetsch that are still slightly firm, they are actually ideal for a crumble. Very ripe plums will work too, but firmer fruit is less likely to completely collapse into the dish as it cooks.
A crumble is one of my favourite ways to use a generous amount of seasonal fruit. It requires very little preparation, the crumble topping comes together in just a few minutes, and you can have the whole thing in the oven without much effort. The plums soften underneath the buttery topping, becoming juicy and jammy as they bake, while the crumble turns crisp and golden.
The amount of sugar you need will depend entirely on your fruit. My quetsch were just ripe, so I used enough sugar to balance their natural tartness without making the filling overly sweet. If your plums are particularly sweet, you can reduce it, while more tart fruit may need a little extra.
I served mine warm with a little freshly whipped cream, but it is equally lovely with vanilla ice cream. This is a very simple recipe, but that is exactly what I love about it. When you have a garden full of beautiful seasonal fruit, sometimes the simplest recipes are all you need.
