Vanilla Prunes Recipes

OLD FASHIONED PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• I do not use a mixer with this cake. You will need 3 bowls, 1 large mixing bowl and 2 smaller bowls. Put your chopped prunes in one of the small bowls, cover with the cup of buttermilk and set aside. In the large bowl add together the oil, sugar, and eggs mixing well with a spoon. In the other bowl combine the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg and use a wire whisk to mix well.
• Pour the prunes and milk into the large bowl with the sugar, eggs, and oil. Add the dry ingredients and mix well with a spoon. (I use a wooden spoon). Add vanilla extract and mix. Spray a 9 x 13 cake pan and add the batter. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center of the cake is done. Add the topping recipe below while still warm.

STEWED PRUNES RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the prunes in a small saucepan.
• Add the water, vanilla, and cinnamon. Gently stir.
• Bring to a boil (this will likely take about 5 minutes). Gently stir again, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the prunes are soft and swimming in syrup.
• Transfer the stewed prunes to a heat-proof glass storage container. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This allows the syrup to thicken and flavors to develop. Serve alone as dessert, or spoon on top of plain Greek yogurt.

PRUNE CAKE WITH GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients. Add oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; mix well. Fold in prunes and nuts. Pour into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, 45 minutes. Meanwhile, combine all topping ingredients in a saucepan. bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Pour over hot cake. Leave in pan to cool.

FRANGIPANE-PRUNE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375. In a bowl, pour the hot tea over the halved prunes, and let the fruit rehydrate while you make the almond filling.
• Put almonds, sugar and salt in a food processor, and pulse just until ground (be careful not to overprocess, or the filling will become a hard paste). Add the butter, eggs, brandy and almond essence, if using, and pulse just until smooth.
• Drain prunes well, pressing out any excess liquid with your hands, and place in the tart shell, more or less in an even layer. Spoon on the almond mixture, smoothing it with the back of the spoon, then sprinkle over remaining sliced almonds. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is a nice golden brown. Dust with icing sugar, and let cool before serving.

PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• Place 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags, add the prunes and honey, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes to plump the prunes.
• Pour the prunes and all the liquid into a medium bowl and stir in the Armagnac, vanilla, orange juice, vanilla bean, and cinnamon sticks. With a vegetable peeler, cut 4 large strips of zest from 1 lemon and add to the mixture. Cut the lemon in half, cut 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices, and add to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours. (If you're not serving the prunes that day, refrigerate them in their liquid.)
• To serve, place the prunes in shallow dessert bowls and serve cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed, spooning the macerating liquid over them. Add a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of Armagnac, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of grated lemon zest. (You'll be surprised how much flavor this adds!) Serve immediately.

VANILLA PRUNES

Steps:

• Place the prunes, water, juice and extract in a saucepan and scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan and add the pod too.
• Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, or until the prunes are very soft and most of the water has evaporated and you are left with a lovely syrup.
• When cool, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge.

PRUNE-VANILLA APPLESAUCE

Steps:

• Peel, core, and slice apples.
• In a large pot, bring apples, lemon juice, prunes, vanilla and 2 cups water to a boil over high. Reduce heat and simmer until apples are very soft and falling apart, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Mash with a potato masher or pulse in a food processor until smooth with small chunks remaining. Add sugar.
• Let cool, then transfer applesauce to airtight containers.

GREAT-GRANDMA'S PRUNE ROLL

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the butter, shortening, egg yolks, sugar and salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate overnight., In a large saucepan, cook plums in water 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Mash; add sugar and lemon juice. Cook for 8-10 minutes over low heat until thickened. Cool and refrigerate., Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 3-in. x 9-in. rectangle. Dot with butter; sprinkle with cinnamon. Spread about 1/3 cup plum filling down the center of each. , Fold a third of the dough lengthwise over filling. Fold remaining dough over top; pinch seams to seal and tuck ends under. Place seam side down in two greased 15x10x1-in. baking pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until doubled. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Combine the glaze ingredients; drizzle over loaves.