Baked Plums With Blueberries And Mascarpone

My love affair with plums began in the middle school, when I was introduced to William Carlos William’s simple but powerful poem about the chilled fruit. (Yep, I was already a nerd when it came to words back then.) Many, many years later, it’s still one of my favorite fruits for the summer. It’s juicy, fleshy, and filled with antioxidants–what’s not to love?

The only downfall is that the plums can be rather tart, and I have an insatiable sweet tooth. That’s what I love about this recipe, adapted from The Golden Book of Desserts. The mascarpone gives the dish just the right amount of sweetness without overloading on the sugar. Preparation is a snap; the hardest part is waiting for the plum halves to finish baking so you can dig in. 

Ingredients

• 12 ripe plums or small nectarines
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup dry red wine or black currant juice
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 8 oz mascarpone
• 2 tbsp confecioners’ sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash the plums, splitting them into halves and pitting them. Lay them flat side up in a bake-safe pan (or two) lined with aluminum foil. Rub the brown sugar in on the cut surface.

In a small dish, zap the butter in the microwave until just melted. Dip two fingers into the butter, spreading it onto the plums evenly. Don’t be afraid to apply a liberal layer. The butter should cool pretty quickly and firm up on the plums.

Drizzle wine or juice over the plums, then bake for 15 minutes. In the meantime, combine the mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Set aside and chill. Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle the dish with blueberries, then bake for another 5 minutes.

Let the plums cool slightly. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone and a splash of juice from the pan.