Challenge Book #10 - Plum and Cinnamon Oat Slice

Hi everyone, I am going to be out of action for the next week or so, because I will be in the Solomon Islands. Unfortunately, I won't by lying on the stunning white palm fringed beaches, swimming in the crystal clear waters or diving the world class reefs and WWII shipwrecks. No, I will be sitting in an office wishing I was doing all of those things. Life can be cruel.

In the meantime, I will leave you with this piece of deliciousness - plum and cinnamon oat slice.


I actually made this a couple of months ago when it was the height of the plum season and my local farmer's market was literally bursting with sweet juicy plums. I went plum crazy.

What I loved about it was the way the slices of fresh plum turned into a thick flavourful plum jam. The oats give a wonderful chewy texture.

My version was a bit strong on the cinnamon, strictly as a result of my own clumsy carelessness. When will I ever learn not measure out spices over a bowl full of ingredients? Tipping up the spice jar, you always get either a few specks or a huge clump. You can guess which one this slice ended up with.





This recipe is from Delia Smith's How to Cook Book: Book 2. Along with Book 1, this is one of my most used cookbooks. I think I've made most of the recipes at some point or other. This is also Challenge Book #10 in my KJ wants a Kitchen Aid Challenge. This is where I have to make a recipe out of every cookbook I own before I buy any new ones. If I succeed, I can buy myself a new mixer. So far, so good.

Plum and Cinnamon Oat Slices
(adapted from Delia's How to Cook Book 2 by Delia Smith)

450gm of fresh plums
1 rounded tspn of cinnamon
275gm of plain wholemeal flour
150gm of porridge oats
1 tspn salt
225gm of butter
110gm of light brown sugar

Cut the plums in half and remove the stones. Cut plums into thin slices. Toss with the cinnamon and set aside.

Mix the flour, oats and salt together. Melt the butter and sugar together over a low heat. Mix into the flour and oat mix until you end up with a dough.

Press half the dough over the bottom of a lightly greased 25x15cm baking tin. Scatter the plums over the dough. Top with the remaining oat mixture.

Place tin in the centre of a 200C oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove and cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Leave to cool completely in the tin.