Plum

Starring sweet, seasonal fruit and coconut, these crunchy baked crumbles turn out as comforting winter warmers. Or try them with custard as a substitute for traditional festive season pudding.

Grated apples and chopped plums make this bran loaf extremely moreish. It is perfect as a sweet bite for morning tea, so put a batch in the oven in the morning and enjoy freshly baked with a cup of tea.

This delicious plum and blackberry crumble is one to put at the top of your must-try list - especially if it's paired with a dollop of homemade spice yoghurt. One helping will never be enough!

With a crown of softly whipped cream and juicy plums, this dessert is simply sublime - and the fact it’s gluten free just makes it even better! Enjoy for a decadent baked treat this summer.

This tart is just divine and works with pretty much any variety of plum. It’s not too sweet, so you will find that even people who claim not to have a sweet tooth will love it!

Combine plum pureé, homemade custard and mascarpone cream and you get this magical gelato, which makes a silky, fruity and luxurious treat. Could there be a more delicious way to cool down when the days start to get warmer?

Canned plums bring back memories of warmer days in this tea cake, which also includes oats and almonds to make a light and tasty dessert. Don’t be surprised at how quickly it disappears!

Bright purple fruit oozes from this spiced plum pie, making it almost too beautiful to eat. But once you take one bite, you won't look back - it's simply divine. Enjoy for a showstopping dessert with friends and family.

The rich flavour of plums really enhance the flavour in our beautiful slow-cooked casserole. Team this warming dish with steamed green beans or sautéed bok choy for a complete and nourishing meal.

This plum compote makes a delicious topping for a simple breakfast - ideal for grabbing on busy mornings when you just have to get out the door! Use almond milk and coconut yoghurt if you prefer a dairy-free version.

Spoon yourself a bowl of Nadia Lim's ambrosia for a dessert that will take you back to your childhood. The soft and pillowy goodness, filled with crunches of chocolate, is the summer dessert of our dreams.

You'll love whipping up these plum pastries for breakfast – they’re fast to prep and cook, and so much cheaper than ducking out to buy Danish pastries from a bakery.

These plum and walnut bars are such a wonderful tin-filler. Try for a moreish morning or afternoon tea snack - the combination of jammy plum filling and crispy topping is to die for!

A rustic Italian tart, or crostata, is the perfect vehicle for plums - and their combination with warm, juicy strawberries is just divine! Try this gluten-free version for a luscious dessert.

This is such a lovely Nici Wickes jam recipe! It’s so seasonal and great as a little Christmas gift for anyone. And it can be made ahead of time, so you won't get stuck in the Christmas rush.

Nici Wickes' mum has taken the kasundi recipe from Nici's second cookbook Cook, Eat, Enjoy and made it with plums instead of tomatoes. It’s a fabulous staple to have on hand in the pantry

Nici Wickes' sweet, spicy and tart Chinese plum sauce recipe is the perfect accompaniment to anything from roasted duck, fish and chips, to fried tofu. Keep a bottle handy to make anything delicious!

Nici Wickes' plum tart recipe is sublime and so easy to make. It takes the classic frangipane recipe, but uses hazelnuts instead of almonds, which pair so well with plums. Serve warm for a truly indulgent dessert

In this Nici Wickes pie recipe, a sweet biscuit crust is filled with tangy goat’s cheese and soft whipped cream, then piled up with handfuls of chopped plums and berries. It’s a truly fabulous dessert!

Be careful if you are home alone with these cakes – they are addictive! This Nici Wickes recipe sees cardamom spiked cakes served with honey baked plums and whipped cream for a sweet little dessert

This incredible recipe combines Black Doris plums, homemade custard and croissants into one delicious pudding cake. Serve warm as a dessert or cold as a cake for afternoon tea

This recipe sees piles of buttermilk pancakes topped with juicy tinned plums and cherries and slathered with vanilla-laced maple syrup. Serve with chocolate whipped cream for a dreamy breakfast or brunch. Photography by Jani Shepherd/Gatherum Collectif

This deliciously sweet plum and mascarpone tart recipe is the perfect way to finish a family meal. If plums aren't in season, try using canned plums instead for a fruity dessert at any time of the year!

Nici Wickes' cinnamon roasted plums recipe would have to be the most delicious, easiest dessert you could make. The plums go all jam-like in the roasting pan - yum!

Scented with vanilla and fruity, Nici Wickes' moist plum and coconut vanilla cake recipe is beyond good! This cake is perfect enjoyed for afternoon tea with a hot cup of tea or coffee

Sweet. Hot. Plummy. This chutney has it all going on! Nici Wickes' tasty plum and apple chutney recipe is great served spread on bread or crackers and accompanied with cheese

This plum upside down cake recipe is a must-try while this juicy stone fruit is in season. Serve this lightly spiced cake with a generous dollop of silky cream or ice cream

This quick spicy Asian plum sauce recipe is excellent with barbecued meats. You can also mix it with other sauces and dressings to boost flavour and create a sweet, fruity tang

These baked plums are delicious for breakfast – try serving with Greek yoghurt or as a topping for your morning museli. They are also great spooned onto hot waffles or pancakes

Light, fluffy, fruity - this sponge-topped plum pudding recipe is a real winner when you want to indulge in a comforting dessert. Serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a true treat

Nici Wickes' torte recipe produces a lovely light, yet rich layer cake. Made with no flour, ground nuts and eggs give body and form. This cake keeps well and is always a hit at afternoon tea

Panettone is a light, airy Italian version of a fruit cake, usually eaten at Christmas and Easter. It varies slightly from region to region but generally is studded with raisins and fruit peel. My favourite brand is called Dal Forno (available from specialty food stores). It is fabulous eaten on its own with an espresso or sweet liqueur, or lightly toasted as I have done in this recipe.

The secret of this pudding is in having a variety of colourful fruit. I’ve used late-season plums to add colour and flavour but you could also use quince or rhubarb.

This moist and delicious cake is visually irresistible as well as being easy to prepare. It’s great to have for dessert or to have with a cup of tea or coffee.

Impress your friends and family!

I used to think plum jam was a bit ordinary so I started experimenting and came up with this stunning recipe. It’s loaded with lavish amounts of good-quality vanilla and now it’s one of my favourite jams to make... and eat!

This clafoutis is one of my Frenchman’s family classics and is a great way to use an abundance of home-grown eggs. It’s also super-easy to make – feel free to use whatever stone fruit you have in abundance. Photographs by Jani Shepherd and styling by Fiona Hugues; Gatherum Collectif.

Danielle Cubis of Spongedrop Cakery presents this boozey trifle layered with plums, chocolate and meringue.

Containing only four ingredients, this cake is light but decadent, perfect for summertime. Photography by Jani Shepherd/Gatherum Collectif.

Kiwi chef Laurent Loudeac, who won top prize in a global high tea competition, shares his Hélène recipe.

Zesty, creamy cheesecake with a plum topping, served with whipped cream and plum syrup.

This divine almond, plum and orange blossom loaf is made without flour to produce a lighter, gluten-free alternative to many traditional fruit loaves. It is packed full of flavour and is gorgeous served warm with a pot of tea.

This cake will have you coming back for more- packed full of crunchy hazelnuts, sweet plums and sour cherries, this is sure to be a family favourite!

This one is a special recipe from 'Love and Food From Gran's Table' by Natalie Oldfield. Nana Rita's plum torte is complete with a crumbly golden crust and beautifully tender juicy plums.

This is an easy and delicious gluten-free cake to make. The tart plums wake up your mouth, while the crunch of toasted coconut and the soft, sweet cake adds to its comforting flavour.

Turn your day around with this sublime vanilla butter cake, topped with juicy plums and flaky almonds.

Sweet, juicy glazed plums are layered upon a golden, crumbly pastry to make this beautiful tart. Serve fresh from the oven, sliced with fresh cream, for a delightful dessert.

Golden and crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, these divine crumbed pork cutlets are beautiful served with sweet maple glazed baked plums for a warming evening meal.

Sweet plums coated in caramelised honey and thyme create a delicious dessert.

Please guests over the holidays with these pudding truffles, soaked in brandy and drizzled with a white chocolate sauce.

Topped with generous slices of fresh summer stone fruit, this apricot and plum coconut slice is absolutely delicious.

These beautiful kirsch spiced plum jellies are wonderfully fruity and are great enjoyed straight from the glass after dinner or as an afternoon treat.

Savour these tender, juicy pork ribs, drizzled in Chinese chilli plum sauce and served with steamed rice or Asian greens.

Sliced stoned fruit encased by this fluffy and buttery puff pastry becomes a treat that is just simply good.

This fluffy and aromatic cake will warm the spirits with undertones of cinnamon while baked plums provide a rich, juicy flavour.

Tender chicken is tossed with crunchy broccolini and fresh Asian vegetables in a sweet, sticky plum sauce to create this beautiful stir-fry. Serve hot with noodles for a quick, tasty dinner idea.

Sweet, juicy black cherries and ripe plums are beautiful stirred through this crunchy and nutty honey roasted muesli. Serve with sweet yoghurt for a beautiful breakfast dish.

An unbeatable combination, tender duck breast is beautiful cooked to perfection and served drizzled with a sweet, fruity plum sauce. This dish is easy to make and wonderful when entertaining guests.

Fruit crumble plus muffins equal a brilliant dessert. This recipe uses fresh plums and hazelnut meal - yum!

Pain au chocolat with plums transformed into a baked pudding. Yum! Although this dish looks quite exotic, it is surprisingly easy to make.

Sweet, sticky and tender, this tasty maple glazed pork is beautiful enjoyed sliced straight out of the oven with a side of steamed beans a sweet, homemade plum salsa.

The ultimate comfort food, this plum pudding is so easy to make with the benefit of a packet cake mixture.

Top of the morning! Treat mum to a healthy breakfast spread that’s sure to make her smile

Everyone loves a sweet, moist cake, especially when it's easy-to-make and will still delight the fussiest of critics. This divine sugar plum pudding topped with toasted almonds is wonderful served with fresh cream or custard.

Adding water to the oven tray before grilling the plums acts as a base for the plum syrup – the colour from the plum skin combined with the excess sugar makes a syrup that can be drizzled over the plums. Note

Plums may be replaced with other poached or canned fruit, or fresh fruit such as berries. Note

Plums not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. You’ll need approximately 10 plums for this recipe. Note

Thick fruit toast and any other canned fruit can be used. Note

Reserve pineapple juice and keep in the fridge to flavour chopped fresh fruit for a quick and easy dessert. Note

Make ahead Cook up to 1 month ahead. Store in covered pudding basin in fridge. To reheat Microwave individual serves on High (100%) in 30-second bursts until hot. Panko are Japanese dried breadcrumbs available from the Asian food aisle and Asian grocery stores. lf unavailable, use packaged dried breadcrumbs. Sprinkle flour evenly over pudding cloth. […]

Serve warm with custard or ice-cream. You can make a vanilla-flavoured cake, too. Swap the orange juice for milk, and the orange zest for 1 teaspoon vanilla essence. Baking tip: Bring all ingredients to room temperature before you begin baking. Note

Use any jam of choice for this dish. If liked, replace evaporated milk with half milk and half cream. Note

You may need to cover loaf with foil if streusel browns too much. Note

If brioche is not available, use fruit bread or plain bread. Note

Brioche can be replaced with thick cafe-style slices of fruit loaf, if preferred. Note

Home made preserves are so very simple to make, and there's so much pleasure to be had from eating jam you made yourself.

Store in cool, dark place for up to 6 months; refrigerate after opening. Note