I have a bit of a crush on slices. I guess it could be because they make me feel as if I am not eating too much. You know how compact they are – as opposed to a fluffy slice of sponge cake for instance. Don’t take me wrong, I do like sponge cake – an awful lot. Having said that, sometimes we can embark on a guilt trip when eating one slice of sponge cake too many. When that reasonably big slice stares back at you, you might feel a bit of a glutton sometimes. Now, if we hold a little slice in our hands, to start with they are not big, so the guilt is reduced. Fair enough, after 5 pieces of a given slice I might end up feeling rather guilty anyway
In this spirit I welcomed the idea of a plum and raspberry slice. Firstly because I love baked fruits – very few are not up to the challenge. Then the idea of oats and fruit in a nice, compact slice could only be welcomed. It would be the combination of summer and a semi-healthy sweet treat. It’s the season for plums and I chose lovely British plumbs that were being sold locally. Being a big plum fan I tend to overbuy them and end up having to come up with creative ideas. The British plums are small and firm. I always look forward to them with great anticipation. Then, the idea of the raspberries. Raspberries are such fantastic berries. They are dead pretty, and full of flavour. Well, most of them anyway – I have come across a few in my lifetime which tarnish the good reputation of raspberries . The combination of flavours was perfect.
I got the recipe from J., a colleague at work. She told me that herself and her partner were just hooked up on the slices. When I then asked for the recipe she was more than willing to share it, and I did buy the fruit on the same day. I ended up not baking it on the same day as I fell asleep before getting ready for the baking session. I then tried it the day after, in the morning. Preparing it was very simple, very few steps. The most laborious thing was the slicing of the plums. I used jumbo oats as I often buy them for my porridge. I could barely wait till the slice cooled down before I had a bit. The fruit was still piping hot and I was already half way into burning my tongue. OMG, this is a fabulous slice. Very moist in a way with all that fruit packed in. J. did not exaggerate a single bit. I’m often quite restrained when eating the baked goods I make – even though it might not look like it, but I just could not stop eating the slices. You can have yours with some yougurt on the side, or cream fraiche, or even ice cream. I never got that far. I shared some with neighbours so that I did not feel too guilty and terribly greedy, but I still kept a few more for additional indulgence.
Ingredients:
- 150g porridge oats
- 275g wholemeal flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 110g light brown sugar
- 225g butter
- 250g plums
- 200g raspberries
- 1 heaped teaspoon cinnamon
Baking tray – 25.5 x 15 cm. Buttered and lined with parchment paper
Preparation:
Pre-heat the oven – 200oC.
Cut the plums in slices: start by cutting them in half, removing the stone. Finally cut them in thin slices and put in a bowl. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top and use your hands to mix it all. Add the raspberries to the bowl and with a spatula mix it with the plums. Put the flour, oats and salt in a bowl and set aside. Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir every so often until the butter and sugar are fully melted. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the flour and oats and give it all a mix – use a wooden spoon first and then your hands. Take half the mixture and spread it evenly over the base of the tin. Be patient. It will work out. Then spread the fruit over the base. Finalize by spreading the mixture evenly over the top. Take the baking tray to the oven and bake for approximately 25-30 min. Remove it from the oven and let it cool before you start digging in – if you can help it. I dare you!
A wee bit of sugar 
