Plum Pandowdy

Isn’t that a fun name to say.  Boy howdy, let’s have Plum Pandowdy!!  You should have heard all of the ridiculous things my husband and I came up with to rhyme with this recipe.  We always find a way to keep our girls laughing.

Beautiful Plums……10 different kinds grown in California
  (I know it looks burned, but that is just the cinnamon deceiving you)

While Plum Pandowdy is fun to say, there is a history to this desert.  In 1946 Dinah Shore (musician) had a hit called “Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pandowdy”. 

A pandowdy is a traditional dessert that can be made with any fruit.  I won’t be making Shoo Fly Pie as I don’t particularly care for molasses.  But my step-dad may start requesting it for his birthday….he loves the stuff. 

As the name describes, it is made in a pan and you “dowdy” the crust half way through baking.  Sounds like a complicated step, but it just means you slice the crust so that the juices can bubble up.

This is a far cry from a glamorous dessert.  It is a sloppy, gooey mess of delicious fruit filling.  I love it.  And it nearly reaches perfection when topped with ice cream.  Seriously….don’t let the pictures fool you.

Plum Pandowdy
10 plums, pitted and chopped
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
zest from 1 small lemon
juice from 1 small lemon (1-2 Tbsp)
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ cup flour
1 pie crust (we only use a top crust for this recipe
2 tablespoon cinnamon sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place plums in a large bowl and add brown and white sugars, spices, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in flour.
3. Pour fruit filling in to an ungreased 8x8 baking dish.
4. Roll out pie crust and lay over fruit.  Gently tuck the edges under the fruit.  It won’t be perfect, and it will be messy.
5. Brush melted butter over the crust and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake 30 minutes, “dowdy” the crust in to 12 pieces and bake 20 minutes longer until bubbling.  To “dowdy” the crust, just use a butter knife to push the crust down in to the fruit.  Almost like scoring a piece of paper.  It is ok if it cuts all the way through, but it doesn’t have to either.  Perfection is not the end result here.

*Your kitchen will now smell like heaven and angels may start singing when you open the oven door*

7. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.  When serving, it will be a messy event.  Top with ice cream and serve with a smile.  You will wonder why you have never baked with plums before.

*Store any extras covered in the refrigerator.  This makes a really yummy breakfast*

Liked my Plum Pandowdy? Try Plum Quick Bread

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