Anna Louise I love apple crumble, and I make it every week through the autumn, but when the Victoria plums arrive in August and September — deep purple, slightly sharp, collapsing into a jammy, vivid filling during baking — I switch to this recipe and I do not look back until the plums are gone.
The plum filling is self-sufficient in a way that apple filling is not. Plums release their juice as they bake and give a slightly syrupy, deeply coloured, intensely flavoured base that needs very little help from added liquid or thickening.
A little brown sugar, a cinnamon stick, and a star anise are all the filling needs. The crumble on top uses oats alongside the flour, which gives a slightly nuttier, slightly more robust topping that suits the robust plum flavour.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Plum Crumble
For the Plum Filling
- 1kg ripe Victoria plums — halved and stoned, or quartered if large
- 75g soft dark brown sugar — adjust to taste depending on the tartness of the plums
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 2 tbsp water
For the Oat Crumble Topping
- 175g plain flour, sifted
- 75g rolled oats
- 125g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 100g soft light brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fine salt
To Serve
- Warm proper custard — always
- Or clotted cream
- Or vanilla ice cream
How to Make Mary Berry Plum Crumble
Step 1 — Preheat and Make the Filling
Preheat your oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / Gas 5.
Put the halved and stoned plums into a large, deep ovenproof dish — approximately 30x22cm. Scatter the dark brown sugar over the plums. Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, and water. Toss gently to combine. Taste a piece of raw plum — if it seems very tart, add an extra tablespoon of sugar.
Step 2 — Make the Oat Crumble
Put the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter. Rub in with cool fingertips until the mixture looks like rough, slightly clumpy breadcrumbs — some larger pieces of butter and oat are fine and give the best texture. Do not rub to a completely fine crumb.
Step 3 — Assemble and Bake
Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the plum filling — covering it completely and going right to the edges of the dish. Do not press it down — a loose crumble topping gives a crisper, more golden result than a compacted one.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the crumble is deeply golden, the plum filling is bubbling at the edges, and the kitchen smells of warm plum and cinnamon.
Rest for five minutes before serving.
My Top Tips For Perfect Mary Berry Plum Crumble
Use Victoria plums when they are in season. Victoria plums — the oval, deep purple British plums available in August and September — give the finest plum crumble. They are perfectly balanced between sweet and sharp, they collapse into a jammy, vivid filling, and their flavour is specifically wonderful. Other plum varieties are good but Victoria plums in season are the best.
The cinnamon stick and star anise give depth without dominating. Whole spices infuse the plum juices gently during baking and give a fragrant, complex filling. They are not eaten — warn guests to leave them aside. Ground spices added directly would give a more intense, slightly muddier spice flavour.
Do not press the crumble topping down. A loose crumble topping bakes to a golden, crispy, slightly varied texture. A pressed crumble bakes to something more uniform and slightly denser. Scatter it loosely and let the oven do the work.
Taste a raw plum and adjust the sugar. Plums vary enormously in sweetness and tartness depending on the variety and the ripeness. A very tart plum needs more sugar than a very ripe, sweet one. Tasting first and adjusting gives a balanced, properly sweetened filling.
Oats in the crumble give a more interesting texture. Plain flour-only crumble is good. Flour and oats together give a slightly nuttier, slightly more textured topping that suits the robust plum flavour considerably better.
Serving Suggestions
With warm proper custard — the most natural pairing. With clotted cream for something richer. With vanilla ice cream — the cold cream against the warm, jammy plum filling is completely wonderful.
How to Store Mary Berry Plum Crumble
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. Reheat at 180°C for 15 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the crumble is crisp again. In the freezer: Freeze assembled before baking for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 190°C for 50 to 55 minutes.
Mary Berry Plum Crumble Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / Gas 5. Put halved plums into ovenproof dish. Scatter brown sugar — add cinnamon stick, star anise, and water. Toss gently. Taste and adjust sugar.
- Mix flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Rub in cold butter to rough, clumpy crumbs — some larger pieces are fine.
- Scatter crumble loosely over plum filling — covering completely, right to the edges. Do not press down.
- Bake 35–40 minutes until crumble is deeply golden and filling bubbling at edges. Rest 5 minutes. Serve with warm custard.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use other plum varieties?
Yes — any ripe plum works well. Damsons give a sharper, more intensely flavoured filling but need more sugar. Greengage plums give a slightly sweeter, more delicate result.
Can I add almonds to the crumble?
Yes — 50g of flaked almonds scattered over the crumble before baking give a pleasant crunch and a nutty flavour that suits plums beautifully.
Can I add blackberries to the filling?
Yes — 200g of fresh or frozen blackberries added with the plums give a more complex, more intensely flavoured filling. The deep purple colour of the two fruits together is completely beautiful.
Can I make individual plum crumbles?
Yes — divide the filling and crumble between six individual ovenproof dishes. Reduce the baking time to 22 to 25 minutes.
Leave a Reply