These ginger plum bars with a cardamom scented shortbread crust are filled with a eggless plum curd filling. These are sweet-tart, buttery, fruity, fragrant with the right amount of punch! If you are wondering what to do with fresh plums all over the market right now, try these today!
My husband is a huge huge fan of plums. Every summer, I make these dangerously addictive plum bars at least a few times. I love using red plums for these since it gives them this gorgeous color (we eat with our eyes first right!).
I had first shared this posted this recipe about 6 years ago on the blog but unfortunately I lost the post during my website transitions. Really wanted to put it up again this year because trust me, you need these in your life! These bars are a perfect for summer time breakfasts or dessert.
How to Pick the Best Plums
For this recipe, I recommend using red plums - their skins and the flesh give off the best color to the plum curd filling. You can tell if a plum is good by it's feel and texture.
Choose plums that are plump, have smooth unshriveled skins and aren't overly ripe. When you hold the plum in your hand and touch it, it should feel heavy and once pressed, it should "give" in. However, it should not be too mushy or too hard (that means it was harvested unripe).
Why You Will Love this Recipe
- ShowStopper Dessert- I like to call these a show stopper when it comes to summer entertaining. I mean look at the color, it catches everyone's eyes!
- No Food Color - The color of these bars is 100% natural. No food color at all.
- Crowd Friendly- There are no eggs in my recipe. It is perfect to serve to a crowd without worrying about allergies.
- Plum Curd- You can use the recipe to just make eggless plum curd if you wish. Its a breeze to make and trust me, its so good over ice cream scoops, toast
I usually prefer getting firm plums and leave them on the the kitchen counter for a day or two before using.
About My Recipe
This is a super simple recipe needing basic ingredients like butter, flour, sugar and cornstarch from your pantry. Other than that you will need fresh plums.
The shortbread base has hints of fresh ground green cardamom and to the the filling I add bit of fresh grated ginger. Together, cardamom and ginger truly elevate the flavor of these plum bars. However rest assured, these plum bars are not spicy! The spices perfume the buttery crust and complement the fruitnness of plums.
Since the plum curd is eggless, I used cornstarch to thicken it. However, the plum curd layer is on a softer side even after setting. I wanted to use just about the right quantity of cornstarch to make it firm without tasting chalky. You will really taste the fresh flavor in this sweet tart filling. Moreover, these taste better the nest day & after!
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Ingredients For Plum Bars
Here are the simple ingredients you need for this recipe.
For The Shortbread Crust
- Flour- All Purpose flour. I haven't tried these with whole wheat flour so cannot say about the taste or texture.
- Butter- I find using salted butter just works fine especially if you like the sweet- salty kind of flavor. Use softened at room temperature, however it should not be melting. You can use unsalted butter as well.
- Sugar - I use powdered sugar.
- Green Cardamom- Fresh ground is the best. Simple pop out the seeds from the pod and crush fine using a small mortar & pestle. Or use ground cinnamon or a dash of vanilla.
For The Eggless Plum Curd Filling
- Red Plums- They give these bars a truly natural red/pink color. I haven't used a single drop of food color, isn't that amazing!
- Sugar- Granulated sugar
- Fresh Ginger - about ½ a teaspoon of microplanes fresh ginger adds the perfect warmth here. If you don't want to use ginger, add vanilla.
- Lemon Juice
- Cornstarch
- Unsalted Butter
How To Make Ginger Plum Bars
Make The Shortbread Crust
In a large bowl, add the flour, powdered sugar and ground cardamom. Add softened butter and lightly mix with your hands until you form a soft crumbly dough. Dont knead.
Press the dough into a 8 by 8 inch pan lined with parchment. Level and smoothen out using your fingers. Prick with fork all over. Set to bake in a 350 F oven for 20-22 minutes until the lightly golden.
Make The Plum Curd
Add chopped plums, sugar and grated ginger to a shallow pan and set on a stove. in about 7-8 minutes the plums will be mushy. Use back of spoon to smash the big chunks. Add the lemon juice and cornstarch slurry and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until jammy & thickish (it should coat the back of a a spoon). Mix in the butter and finish cooking in about 2 minutes more.
Strain through a soup mesh into a bowl. Your eggless plum is ready. It will thicken as it sits. You can use it as it is if you wish.
Layer & Chill
Pour the plum curd over cooled shortbread crust. Smoothen out with a spatula. Refrigerate for about 4 hours to set. Preferably overnight. Cut into squares using a sharp knife and enjoy!
Note - These filling of these bars is not super firm, it well set to soft and gooey.
Tips
- If you wish you can make the shortbread crust in a food processor fitted with dough/plastic blade. However, if the butter is softened, I find using hands much easier and faster.
- This recipe will work with other stone fruits like cherries or peaches as well.
- I strain the plum filling because we love the smooth curd like consistency. However, if you wish you can add the filling as it is over the crust.
- You can double the recipe of plum filling for a thicker plum layer.
Serving & Storage
Serving
Room Temperature Set the bars out for 20-25 minutes before serving. These are so good with a scoop of ice cream.
Cold Serving- These bars are equally delicious straight out of the fridge.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store the sliced bars in the regfrigerator in a single layer for 4-5 days. As I mentioned before the plum layer is not firm rather soft and gooey so don't stack them.
Freezing
First freeze the cut bars in a single layer. I would individually wrap the frozen bars in a small piece of parchment paper before popping them in a ziploc. You can froze for 2 months. Thaw overnight before serving.
FAQ
If you have a good all oatmeal crust recipe, yes definitely go ahead and use it. In this recipe, you can add ¼ cup of rolled oats while making the shortbread crust if you wish.
Yes, however the color of the filling will not be bright red. They would be still delicious if your plums are delicious.
More Desserts
Ginger Plum Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1.5 cup all purpose flour
- 12 tablespoon butter unsalted
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
Plum Curd Filling
- 600 g fresh red plums stoned (about 7 plums) , see note 1
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated, see note 2
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon butter salted
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- In a large bowl, add the flour, powdered sugar and ground cardamom. Add softened butter and lightly mix with your hands until you form a soft crumbly dough. Dont knead.
- Press the dough into a 8 by 8 inch pan lined with parchment. Level and smoothen out using your fingers. Prick with fork all over. Set to bake in a 350 F oven for 20-22 minutes until the lightly golden.
Plum Curd Filling
- While the crust is baking, make the plum filling. Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup water. Add chopped plums, sugar and grated ginger to a shallow pan and set on a stove. In about 7-8 minutes the plums will be mushy. Use back of spoon to smash the big chunks.
- Add the lemon juice and cornstarch slurry and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until jammy & thickish (it should coat the back of a a spoon). Mix in the butter and finish cooking in about 2 minutes more.
- Strain through a soup mesh into a bowl. Your eggless plum is ready. It will thicken as it sits. You can use it as it is if you wish.
Layer & Chill
- Pour the plum curd over cooled shortbread crust. Smoothen out with a spatula. Refrigerate for about 4 hours to set. Preferably overnight. Cut into squares using a sharp knife and enjoy!Note - These filling of these bars is not super firm, it will set to soft and gooey, however you will be able to cut neat squares using a sharp knife.
Notes
- Dont skin the red plums. The skins contribute to the beautiful color of the filling. And we are straining the filling at the end so they won't bother you in the curd.
- You can reduce to ½ teaspoon fresh ginger if you like.
- If you wish you can make the shortbread crust in a food processor fitted with dough/plastic blade. However, if the butter is softened properly, I find using hands much easier and faster.
- This recipe will work with other stone fruits like cherries or peaches as well.
- I strain the plum filling because we love the smooth curd like consistency. However, if you wish you can add the filling as it is over the crust.
- You can double the recipe of plum filling for a thicker plum layer.
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