My plum and ginger crumble is the perfect autumn bake, combining fresh plums with sweet and slightly fiery stem ginger, for the perfect balance of fruit and spice. As the plums bake they become soft and jammy, creating a rich filling that pairs beautifully with the golden crumble topping.
Using a traditional crumble base, I like to add rolled oats and a generous mix of chopped almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts, which add great crunch, texture and nutty flavour to every bite. The extra crispy topping contrasts perfectly with the soft fruit filling.
What I love most about a crumble is how simple it is to make. With straightforward instructions and everyday ingredients, it's ideal for novice cooks or anyone looking for a fuss-free homemade pudding.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Plum and ginger is a classic flavour pairing that works a treat in this sweet pudding.
- Uses simple ingredients we all have in our store cupboards at home.
- This is a quick and easy dessert recipe as hand's on preparation time is minimal.
Recipe ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card below.
- Plums - I used plums in this recipe, 400g is roughly 6 plums.
- Ginger - I use ground ginger in the crumble topping and grated stem ginger in the fruit base, along with some of the ginger syrup from the jar. Plum and ginger are a great flavour pairing.
- Flour - I use plain flour for the crumble topping.
- Sugar - I like to use demerara sugar in the crumble topping as it has a mild molasses flavour and a crunchy texture.
- Salt - I like to add a pinch of fine sea salt to crumble topping to balance out the sweetness.
- Butter - use cold salted butter and cut it into cubes. Only use fridge cold butter as you want to be able to rub it into the flour and sugar. Soft butter will only make the crumble topping greasy.
- Nuts - I used a combination of almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts in this recipe, they add great texture to the crumble topping.
- Oats - porridge oats/rolled oats are added to the crumble topping for crunch and texture.
How to make Plum & Ginger Crumble
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180CFan/390F.
- Make the crumble topping by first placing the flour, sugar, salt and cold cubes of butter into a large mixing bowl. Rub together gently to form a breadcrumb like consistency.
- Place the walnuts into a small bag, then break down gently into smaller pieces using a rolling pin.
- Add the nuts to the crumble mixture, along with the rolled oats and ground ginger. Stir to combine.
- Cut the plums in half and remove the stone, then take each half and cut into 3-4 slices.
- Place the plums into the oven-proof dish, scatter over the grated ginger and stem ginger syrup and stir well to combine.
- Spoon the crumble mixture over the plums, ensuring an even layer.
- Place the dish into the hot oven and bake for 40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Remove the dish from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe variations
- Fruit - this recipe works equally well with other stone fruits like peaches, nectarines and apricots. The ginger would also work well with pears, pineapple or mango.
- Nuts - you can use any variety of nut in this recipe, or a mix of nuts like I've done here. For anyone with a nut allergy leave them out altogether.
- Gluten free - make a gluten free plum crumble by replacing the regular flour with a gluten free plain flour alternative, gluten free rolled oats to the crumble mix for added crunch.
- Dairy free - for dairy free or vegan diners, replace the butter in the crumble with a suitable dairy free alternative.
Serving suggestions
When it comes to serving any fruit crumble I really don’t think you can beat custard, its such a classic pudding combination.
However, you could also serve this sweet pudding with double cream, some whipped cream, thick Greek yogurt, crème fraiche, or a scoop of vanilla or dairy ice-cream. I don’t tend to add flavoured ice cream as it detracts from the flavour of the plums.
Useful hints and tips
- Chose ripe, but firm, plums for the best texture. Overripe fruit can release too much juice making the whole pudding too wet. Slightly firm plums will soften beautifully in the oven.
- Don't overwork the crumble topping! Use a light touch with your fingertips, if you are too firm you risk the butter becoming warm and the crumble will be greasy.
- Allow the pudding to rest for 5-10 minutes when it comes out of the oven, this will allow the plum filling to thicken a little.
- Feeding a crowd? double or triple up this recipe to feed a larger group of people.
- Allergy advice: egg free and soya free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.
FAQs
Yes, frozen plums are a great alternative and can be placed into the dish straight from the freezer. Just allow an extra few minutes baking time, and note the filling may be slightly juicier.
The crumble is ready when the crumble topping is golden and crisp, and the fruit filling is starting to bubble around the edges.
Yes, this is a great make ahead dessert. Make the crumble earlier in the day, cover and store in the fridge until you are ready to bake.
Once baked and cooled, store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Yes, once assembled in the dish, cover the unbaked crumble with some clingfilm and a thick layer of tin foil, then place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before baking, or bake from frozen, adding extra cooking time as needed. Leftovers can also be frozen and reheated at a later date.
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Additional recipe suggestions
If you like this recipe then try some of these easy dessert recipes:
- Rhubarb & Strawberry Crumble
- Rhubarb Crumble
- Peach & Raspberry Crumble
- Classic Apple & Blackberry Crumble
- Eve’s Pudding
- Pear & Ginger Sponge Puddings
- Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango
Easy Plum & Ginger Crumble Recipe
Equipment
- chopping board
- Kitchen knife
- Rolling Pin
- large mixing bowl
- Oven proof dish oval dish approx 26x16x5cm (10x6x2 inch)
- weighing scales
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 400 g plums (approx 6 plums)
- 3 stem ginger (grated)
- 2 tablespoon stem ginger syrup from jar
Crumble Topping
- 150 g plain flour
- 75 g demerara sugar
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 100 g cold salted butter (cut into cubes)
- 50 g mixed nuts (combination of almonds, hazelnuts and pecans - chopped)
- 50 g porridge oats/rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180CFan/390F.
- Make the crumble topping by first placing the flour, sugar, salt and cold cubes of butter into a large mixing bowl. Rub together gently to form a breadcrumb like consistency.
- Place the walnuts into a small bag, then break down gently into smaller pieces using a rolling pin.
- Add the nuts to the crumble mixture, along with the rolled oats and ground ginger. Stir to combine.
- Cut the plums in half and remove the stone, then take each half and cut into 3-4 slices.
- Place the plums into the oven-proof dish, scatter over the grated ginger and stem ginger syrup and stir well to combine.
- Spoon the crumble mixture over the plums, ensuring an even layer.
- Place the dish into the hot oven and bake for 40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Remove the dish from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes then serve with custard, or ice cream.
Notes
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
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