[sweetbabyjames]

I need a dessert recipe using prunes. Any ideas?

[Debbie]

I am assuming you mean dried plums..... it can be a bit confusing for me here as normal plums are called prunes as well in France.... These are ideas for dried fruit called prunes (just so we are clear).

You can soak them in tea and then drain and line the base of a cake pan and pour plain (butter or vanilla) cake mix over and bake.

Another one is like a tart with a sort of frangipane filling and prunes in it.

Sorry, no actual recipes, but I quite often just make it up as I go instead of using them. I just remember when it works and tastes good Please just remember to take the stones out!!!!! One of my friends made the tart and left the stones in and we all nearly lost teeth on the first bite... not nice.

Lastly you can soak and then briefly boil dried fruit in tea or fruit juice and serve with creme fraiche or yogurt. This is really yummy and can be served hot or cold. It is also nice on cereal or porridge at breakfast time.

I eat them just as they are while watching tv at night or reading books. Sort of like a healthy sweet snack. They are also nice on a cheese platter if you don't have quince paste or raisins etc to hand. The soft sweetness is yum with aged cheddar (and most other cheeses too...)
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If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.

[Donna]

How about a dried plum clafoutis? Soak the dried plums in rum, vodka, plum schnapps or something that rings your bell (OK, Debbie, tea, if you must! ) and then bake in a clafoutis - check the recipe section here at C&Z. Clotilde did a strawberry clafoutis in March. That sounds yummy!

I am actually longing for cherry season so that I can make a cherry clafoutis! But it has been so COLD and RAINY here in Northern California, we may NEVER get cherries!
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L'appetit vient en mangeant. -Rabelais

[jen_nz]

You could try these Hot Chocolate & Prune Mousse Puddings from the Cuisine website - I saw them in their latest issue and they look sooo good,
http://www.cuisine.co.nz/index.cfm?pageId=37955
This website is really great, they have a huge archive of all of their recipes from past issues, and the recipes are reliably delicious

[sweetbabyjames]

Great ideas, thanks! I think I'm going to try a frangipane. I love the cafloutis idea as well though, so maybe I'll do both. I've never heard of soaking in tea. Is there a specific reason, or just tasted good?