Plum dessert recipes to make the most of late summer's juiciest fruit - simple, showstopping ideas
Tuesday 18 August 2026 17:00 - Juliette Hess
The best thing about plum desserts is that they feel impressive without needing much drama. A handful of ripe plums can become a soft cake, a shiny tart, a creamy flan, a jar of jam or a rustic bake that tastes like sunshine sliding gently into autumn. Mirabelle plums, with their tiny size and honeyed flavour, are especially lovely when baked with almonds or layered into pastry.
Here are cheerful, seasonal ways to enjoy plums and mirabelle plums while they are at their juiciest. The mood is simple: keep the fruit centre stage, add a little butter, almond, custard or pastry, and let late summer do the rest.
1. Mirabelle plum cake with almonds: golden and tender
A mirabelle plum cake with almonds is exactly the kind of dessert that makes late summer feel generous. Mirabelles bring a delicate, honey-like sweetness, while almonds add softness, fragrance and a gentle nuttiness that makes the cake feel cosy without being heavy.
This is a brilliant dessert for afternoon tea, a weekend bake or a simple family pudding. The fruit softens as it bakes, creating little pockets of juicy sweetness throughout the cake. Serve it slightly warm, dusted with icing sugar, or with a spoonful of yogurt or cream. It is simple, golden and quietly irresistible.
This is a brilliant dessert for afternoon tea, a weekend bake or a simple family pudding. The fruit softens as it bakes, creating little pockets of juicy sweetness throughout the cake. Serve it slightly warm, dusted with icing sugar, or with a spoonful of yogurt or cream. It is simple, golden and quietly irresistible.
Upside-down mirabelle plum cake with almonds
In summer, we enjoy this small, sweet yellow fruit known as the mirabelle! Here, for dessert, we decided to make an extra moist cake that is also very easy to prepare. With the combination of mirabelles and almonds, all beautifully caramelized and...
2. Gluten-free and dairy-free plum flan: inclusive and fruity
A plum flan is already a comforting idea, but a gluten-free and dairy-free version makes it even more useful for sharing. It keeps the spirit of a creamy fruit dessert while making room for guests who avoid gluten or dairy. That is exactly the kind of thoughtful pudding that disappears quickly at the table.
Plums work beautifully in flans because their bright acidity balances the softness of the batter. They become tender, colourful and jammy while the base sets around them. The result is light, fruity and easy to love, especially when served chilled or just warm.
Plums work beautifully in flans because their bright acidity balances the softness of the batter. They become tender, colourful and jammy while the base sets around them. The result is light, fruity and easy to love, especially when served chilled or just warm.
Gluten-free and dairy-free plum flan
It’s not easy to find a dessert that suits those who are allergic or intolerant to milk and gluten... Fortunately, alternatives exist! This recipe for gluten-free and dairy-free far breton with prunes proves just that. An easy and equally delicious...
3. Homemade plum jam: late summer in a jar
When plums are ripening faster than you can eat them, jam is the happiest solution. Homemade plum jam captures the fruit at its peak and turns it into something you can enjoy long after the season starts to fade. Spread it on toast, spoon it over yogurt, swirl it into porridge, layer it into sponge cake or use it to glaze a tart.
The magic of plum jam is its balance: sweet, tangy, glossy and deeply fruity. It is also a clever way to use fruit that is slightly too soft for slicing but still full of flavour. A jar of plum jam is not just a preserve; it is a small edible reminder that late summer was delicious.
The magic of plum jam is its balance: sweet, tangy, glossy and deeply fruity. It is also a clever way to use fruit that is slightly too soft for slicing but still full of flavour. A jar of plum jam is not just a preserve; it is a small edible reminder that late summer was delicious.
Homemade plum jam
Enjoy seasonal fruits by making delicious homemade jams! Today, we offer you an easy and foolproof recipe for plum jam. With just 3 ingredients, follow the steps to recreate it. A great way to start your mornings off right :-)
4. Plum brioche tart: soft, buttery and bakery-style
A plum brioche tart sits somewhere between dessert, sweet bread and afternoon treat, which is a very comfortable place to be. The soft brioche base absorbs some of the plum juices as it bakes, while the fruit becomes glossy, tender and beautifully fragrant.
This is the kind of recipe that makes the kitchen smell like a small bakery. It feels homemade in the best way: generous, golden and a little nostalgic. Serve it for brunch, dessert or a late-summer snack with coffee. The combination of soft dough and juicy plums is pure comfort.
This is the kind of recipe that makes the kitchen smell like a small bakery. It feels homemade in the best way: generous, golden and a little nostalgic. Serve it for brunch, dessert or a late-summer snack with coffee. The combination of soft dough and juicy plums is pure comfort.
Plum brioche tart
For a dessert that is both soft and fruity, choose our recipe for Plum Brioche Tart! We guide you step by step in making this foolproof recipe for a guaranteed indulgent moment :-) It's also an opportunity to change from classic plum tarts or jams.
5. Far Breton with plums: a French classic with spoon appeal
Far Breton is a French flan-style dessert that knows exactly how to make fruit feel comforting. With plums baked into a smooth, custardy base, it becomes rich enough to feel like dessert but simple enough to serve after an everyday meal.
The texture is the charm: soft, dense, creamy and lightly caramelised at the edges. The plums add bursts of fruitiness that keep each bite bright. If you love desserts that are old-fashioned, spoon-friendly and deeply reassuring, this is a beautiful late-summer choice.
The texture is the charm: soft, dense, creamy and lightly caramelised at the edges. The plums add bursts of fruitiness that keep each bite bright. If you love desserts that are old-fashioned, spoon-friendly and deeply reassuring, this is a beautiful late-summer choice.
Far breton, a french flan with plums - video recipe !
Thanks to our French friends, try out this delicious flan with plums, a regional speciality.
6. Mirabelle plum tart: the elegant late-summer showpiece
A mirabelle plum tart is one of the prettiest ways to celebrate the season. The tiny golden plums create a sunny topping, while the pastry gives structure and crunch. It is elegant enough for guests but simple enough to keep the fruit as the real star.
Because mirabelles are naturally aromatic, you do not need to bury them under too many extras. A little sugar, a crisp crust and perhaps a touch of almond are enough. The result is bright, delicate and beautifully French-inspired, perfect for the moment when late summer fruit is at its peak.
Because mirabelles are naturally aromatic, you do not need to bury them under too many extras. A little sugar, a crisp crust and perhaps a touch of almond are enough. The result is bright, delicate and beautifully French-inspired, perfect for the moment when late summer fruit is at its peak.
Mirabelle plums tart - video recipe !
Just 3 ingredients to bake this simple and delicious dessert, a real tribute to the delicious mirabelle plum !
7. Plum-stuffed quails: the sweet-savoury surprise
Even in an article about plum desserts, it is worth making room for one sweet-savoury plum idea, because plums are brilliant beyond the pudding plate. Plum-stuffed quails show how the fruit’s sweetness and acidity can balance rich savoury flavours. It is not a dessert, but it belongs to the same late-summer celebration of ripe fruit.
This kind of dish is perfect for anyone who loves using seasonal fruit in a more elegant, dinner-party way. The plums bring juiciness and contrast, proving that late-summer fruit can move from cake stand to main course with serious style.
This kind of dish is perfect for anyone who loves using seasonal fruit in a more elegant, dinner-party way. The plums bring juiciness and contrast, proving that late-summer fruit can move from cake stand to main course with serious style.
Plum-stuffed quails
For your Christmas meal, New Year's celebration, or any other festive occasion, serve your guests quail as the main dish! A poultry dish with fine and delicate flavors that will change your usual habits. Very easy to cook, we offer you a sweet and...
How to make plum desserts taste better
The best plum dessert tip is wonderfully simple: taste the fruit before you bake. Some plums are honey-sweet, some are tart, and some become sharper once cooked. If the fruit is very sweet, you can reduce the sugar. If it is tart, a little extra sweetness or creaminess will help. If it is extremely juicy, add a small amount of thickener, ground almonds or breadcrumbs to catch the liquid.
You usually do not need to peel plums. Their skins add colour, texture and a pleasing tang, and they help the fruit hold its shape in tarts and cakes. Plums also love flavour partners such as almonds, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon zest, honey, hazelnuts and mascarpone. Keep the pairings simple, and the fruit will shine.
You usually do not need to peel plums. Their skins add colour, texture and a pleasing tang, and they help the fruit hold its shape in tarts and cakes. Plums also love flavour partners such as almonds, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon zest, honey, hazelnuts and mascarpone. Keep the pairings simple, and the fruit will shine.
The takeaway
Plum desserts are one of the greatest pleasures of late summer because they offer everything a good seasonal pudding needs: juice, colour, sweetness, acidity and comfort. Mirabelles bring golden delicacy, purple plums bring drama, and every variety has a place in cakes, tarts, flans and jams.
So while plums are at their best, bake them into a cake, fold them into a flan, spread them as jam, arrange them over pastry or use them in a sweet-savoury surprise. Late summer never lasts quite long enough, but a table full of plum desserts makes it feel beautifully generous.
So while plums are at their best, bake them into a cake, fold them into a flan, spread them as jam, arrange them over pastry or use them in a sweet-savoury surprise. Late summer never lasts quite long enough, but a table full of plum desserts makes it feel beautifully generous.
Juliette HessI’ve been creating culinary content at Petitchef for over 7 years.
I love traveling and discovering new dishes, trying out new culinary trends, and exploring new restaurants.
I’m a pasta fan in all its forms ❤ from udon noodles to tagliatelle, I love cooking it and even making it homemade!
Right now, I’m preparing, filming, and photographing your next recipe, and I hope you’ll love it!
I love traveling and discovering new dishes, trying out new culinary trends, and exploring new restaurants.
I’m a pasta fan in all its forms ❤ from udon noodles to tagliatelle, I love cooking it and even making it homemade!
Right now, I’m preparing, filming, and photographing your next recipe, and I hope you’ll love it!
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