Plum Graham Cracker Crumble

As plums bake, their tartness mellows and their juices jelly — just a couple reasons why they do so well in pies, cobblers and this crumble, which is essentially an upside-down graham cracker-crusted pie. If you don’t have graham crackers on hand, vanilla wafers will work nicely too, but you’ll need to cook a little longer. Be sure to press the graham crackers into a single layer instead of scattering clumps of it over the plums; doing so creates a sturdy but delicate topping that won’t drown in a sea of plum juice. Keep this plum crumble simple, or add extra spices like ground ginger, cinnamon or nutmeg.

Ingredients

• 1

  pound/450 grams black plums (about 4 large plums), pitted and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)

• 5

  tablespoons/55 grams packed brown sugar

• ¼

  cup/35 grams plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• ½

  teaspoon kosher salt

• 1

  sleeve (9 sheets)/145 grams graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs using a food processor or in a resealable bag using a rolling pin

• 6

  tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter (3/4 stick), melted

• 1

  teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. To an 8-inch square (or round) baking dish, add the plums, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss everything together to coat and set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
3. In a small bowl, combine the butter and vanilla. Using a spoon, mix it into the graham cracker mixture until the crumbs are evenly moist, then spread it over the plums, pressing down with your palms to create an even, compact layer.
4. Bake about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and hardened and plum juice is bubbling up along the edges of the pan. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.