What are those little baby-fist-sized plums that have been in the markets for the last month? They're called Italian Prune Plums and I adore them.
Sometimes also called Empress Plums, they are the European-style plum (Prunica domestica) - small, dense, egg-shaped fruit with blue or purple skin, freestone pits (they separate easily from the flesh) and yellow flesh. These are the plums that are made into prunes. If prunes aren't your thing, but baking is, fear not: you'll be happy to know that prune plums are wonderful sugared and cooked.
Select fruits that are more firm than you might select if eating raw. A simple dessert has you halving the plums along their indentation, toss them in sugar, flour and cinnamon and baking in individual ramekins. Top with a crumble, or simply bake and garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche.
When cooked, they turn an amazing fuchsia pink color and are not reminiscent of prunes in any way. Wait until you see the pie next week.
10 Low-Budget Pantry Items Everyone Should Have
Summer Recipe: Gluten-Free & Vegan Strawberry Shortcake
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
TW Salt Mill by Wil...
Small Cool Lessons: Discovering Small Space Design Ideas That Really Work
Marisa and Peter's Playfully Eclectic Home
I love prune plums! Try slicing them in half and oven drying them.
Here is one of my favorite desserts:
http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/recipes/italian-plum-cobbler.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp
Free trial registration is required to view this, but you can improvise with any cobbler recipe. It is a biscuit topping over plums tossed with sugar and cardamom. Lovely!
In southern Germany these are Zwetschken, and you make the most amazing cake/pie with them-- Zwetschkenkuchen-- and dollop on whipped cream-- Schlagsahne-- and have a strong cup of coffee-- oh, where is the closest Lufthansa counter...
i just bought a quart of them. since the farmers get them from Jersey, they just called them Jersey Black Plum! Either way...I can snack on them all day long.
There's a tree with these in front of an abandoned house down my street. Last year, I ransacked it one night and ended up with a plastic bag full! I made plum cobbler, plum compote with bay leaf and thyme, and just ate them 2 or 3 at a time!!
I've recently seen them called "sugar plums" in the markets, by the way...
We've got these out here all over the place, and they're sort of the standard "snack" on our walks. I love the idea of a plum compote with bay leaf and thyme . . . yum. That makes me want to spoon it onto some roast pork. I'll have to give it a try.