Plum Streuselkuchen

Photograph by Tara Fisher.

• Servings: 8 to 10.

From Summer Berries & Autumn Fruits: 120 Sensational, Sweet & Savory Recipes by Annie Rigg (Kyle Books, © 2016, hardcover, color photographs, $29.95). 

In the introduction to the recipe, Annie Rigg wrote:

"This enriched dough has more in common with a cake than bread and is ideal to serve for a late breakfast, brunch, or mid-morning treat with a pot of steaming coffee. It’s best eaten on the day of making but will reheat well if wrapped in foil and placed in a medium oven for a few minutes. You can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise in the fridge overnight before topping and baking. I like to use a mixture of plums for this cake, not only for flavor but for color too."

From The City Cook -- I'd add that if you have beautiful summer apricots, you could substitute them if plums aren't yet in-season.

Ingredients

• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced and softened, plus extra for greasing
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 ounce fast-action/easy-blend dried yeast
• A good pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup sour cream or buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 medium egg
• 1 medium egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 pounds mixed plums, washed and dried
• FOR THE STREUSEL:
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• A good pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Grease an 8-inch square cake pan and line the bottom and sides with greased parchment paper.
2. Warm the milk until tepid—a shade hotter than body temperature.
3. Put the flour in the bowl of a free-standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, yeast, and salt and mix with a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine. Make a well in the middle.
4. Combine the sour cream or buttermilk, whole egg, yolk, lemon zest, and vanilla extract in a pitcher. Pour the warm milk into the mixer bowl, add the sour cream mixture and softened butter, and knead on medium speed for about 4 minutes until you have a silky smooth dough.
5. Scoop into the prepared pan and spread level using a palette knife. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and either let the dough rise slowly overnight in the fridge or for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature.
6. If you have left the dough overnight in the fridge, bring it to room temperature before proceeding to the next stage.
7. Preheat the oven to 375º F.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the streusel: Mix the sugars, salt, cinnamon, and flour in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and stir well to combine—the mixture should start to form large clumps. Scatter one-third over the top of the cake.
9. Cut the plums into quarters or sixths, depending on size, and arrange on top. Scatter the remaining streusel over the plums.
10. Bake the streuselkuchen on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350º F and bake for another 45 to 50 minutes until the cake is well-risen, the streusel golden and crisp, the fruit tender, and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.