The Best Way to Serve Sweet and Juicy Summer Plums

One of summer’s biggest pleasures, for me, is getting to bite into an extra-juicy plum in peak season, when it’s perfectly ripe. And luckily a neighbor with a plum tree often shares her abundance.

I was trying to decide what to do with a recent trove, besides baking them (too hot). That’s when I remembered one of my favorite ways to dress stone fruit: stuffing it. I cut up a pile of plums and discovered my go-to summer snack also works very well as an appetizer or dessert.

“Stuffed” plums are simply ripe plums that have been split, pitted, and topped. Add a creamy topping and something crunchy and fresh fruit becomes a filling snack, a delightful appetizer, or (depending on what you top them with) a decadent dessert.

When snacking, I tend to opt for whole-milk Greek yogurt, which is always in my fridge. If I want to get a little fancier, crème fraîche, soft goat cheese, or a lightly sweetened whipped cream really elevates things.

Stuffed plums are best topped with something crunchy: granola or muesli, chopped nuts, or even dark chocolate shavings. When I’m trying to impress a crowd, I’ll use a drizzle of honey or date syrup, or go savory with a fruity olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt.

These little victuals are just as delicious eaten over the kitchen sink as they are capping off a dinner gathering with friends. Pro tip: If you’re serving them for dessert, slice the fruit and assemble just after the dinner dishes hit the kitchen sink, then serve immediately.

Have you every tried stuffed plums? Do you have a favorite easy summer snack?