Plum Brown Betty

Our weekend in Wichita was joyfully jam-packed with the hometown trifecta of family, friends, and food. We boogied at my cousin’s wedding (I had no idea that my uncle John could move like that), took advantage of $2 taps and free pool at our local bar, and BBQed like champions.
Despite two full rounds of Grammy’s blackberry-peach decadence at dinner, plus a few sneaky spoonfuls at breakfast the next morning (cobbler is basically fruit with granola, right?), I simply didn’t gobble enough to satisfy my cobbler craving. I arrived back in Madison, longing for another bowl.Though my Grammy’s cobbler was over-indulgent in the most “this is so worth it” way, I wanted to create something moderately more, well, moderate for Ben and I to enjoy this week. This PLUM BROWN BETTY from Eating Well turned out to be one of my favorite finds of the summer! A close cousin to bread pudding, crisp, and cobbler, a brown betty is perhaps one of the easiest desserts to prepare but boasts an outstanding taste. Brown betties are a long-standing American dessert made from layers of fruit and sweetened crumbs. It may sound odd, but magic happens with the ingredients mingle in the oven. The result is a hot, sweet, slightly spiced dessert that lets the fruit’s flavor shine. Ben and I absolutely loved our brown betty with plums and whole-wheat breadcrumbs, but feel free to substitute your favorite fruit and be creative with the crumb layer. An 1877 brown betty used apples and saltine crackers!
- 6 c. ripe but firm plums, cut into 1/2 in. slices (I left the peels on, but remove if desired)
- 1/3 c. packed brown sugar
- 1 T. orange juice
- 2 c. whole-wheat fresh breadcrumbs*
- 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 c. walnuts, toasted and choppe
- 2 T. butter, melted
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare filling: Toss plums with 1/3 c. brown sugar and orange juice in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare topping: Toss breadcrumbs, 1/4 c. brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl until combined.
- Coat a 9-inch shallow glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the topping into the bottom of the dish. Top with half of the fruit. Sprinkle another 1/2 cup topping over the fruit, then top with the remaining fruit. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss the remaining topping with walnuts and butter until combined.
- After 30 minutes, remove the brown betty from the oven and sprinkle the breadcrumb-walnut mixture on top. Return to oven and bake until the fruit is bubbly and the crumbs are browned, 30 to 40 minutes more.
- Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Serving-size tip: I halved the recipe and baked in a small dish, reducing the cooking time by about 10 minutes in Step 4 and Step 6. It was the perfect treat for two, with a bit leftover
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I made my first brown betty this summer! Used peaches and a shortbread cookie/breadcrumb combo. Now I definitely am going to have to try your plum version.
Hi Kelly,
Aren’t brown betties just the best kept-dessert secret around? I love my crisps and pies, but the brown betty is just as worthy and SO insanely easy. Hope you enjoy the plum version. Ben and I couldn’t believe just how good it really was! Thanks for your comment :-)
PS. I might have to sneak in some shortbread cookie next time. What a great idea.
I took home the cobbler leftovers wahahaha! We ate it ALL last night in one sitting!
You also took ALL the deviled eggs, and I didn’t get ANY! I also got NO Ranger cookies!
Hi ladies!
Great to hear from you. Elizabeth, I’m still soooo jealous (though the brown betty did hit the spot). Mom, sorry about the cookies. Hot commodity! You’ll have to hold out for round II when I’m back for Thanksgiving. And your deviled eggs are the best. I might just have to steal them for a future post……
Thanks for commenting!
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