Caramelized Plums - Two plums sautéed in butter and a touch of sugar. These softened plums are wonderful spooned over ice cream or pancakes. Ready in minutes and incredibly delicious!
If you find yourself with one or two plums available, consider making a small batch of caramelized plums. These softened plums are a real treat and a lovely addition to a stack of pancakes or spooned over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
This small batch plum recipe is similar to plum preserves or plum jam. It thickens naturally with no pectin needed.
Caramelizing fruit is a great way to use up fruit that might be a tad bit overripe or even a tiny bit past its prime. It's amazing to see how just a little bit of butter and some sugar can transform the fruit into a glorious dessert.
What Does Caramelizing Mean?
Caramelizing happens when sugar is introduced to heat. When sugar is heated, compounds release and this alters the color and flavor of sugar. The most noticeable change is a browning of sugar.
When fruits and vegetables caramelize, the sugar that is naturally found in the fruit caramelizes the same way regular sugar does. The browning of the fruit is a result of the caramelization or heating of the natural sugars found.
Ingredients
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
How To Make Caramelized Plums
- Melt butter in a small skillet.
- Add sugar and 1 teaspoon of water. Swirl the pan to dissolve the sugar and cook until the mixture becomes the color of golden caramel.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the sliced plums and cinnamon, if using. Cook for 5 minutes until the plums soften.
Expert Tips
- Use a non-stick pan, if possible. Caramelizing can get sticky and a non-stick pan works best when caramelizing fruit.
- If the plums are not sweet, feel free to add a little more sugar. If the plums are already very sweet, you might want to reduce the amount of sugar you use.
- Stir the fruit often and cook until the fruit has reached the softness you prefer.
- You can actually caramelize just about any stone fruit. You might like to consider using peaches or apples.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. You can sauté peaches, nectarines, pears, and even apples. Use them the same as you would plums.
Use the sautéed plums immediately or store in a covered jar in the refrigerator. They will keep for about 1 week.
I use a 10-inch skillet in this recipe. For best results, use a pan of similar size.
For information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
You might also like to try our bananas foster recipe which is similar to this caramelized plums recipe.
Ways To Use Sautéed Plums
In addition to spooning these delightful softened plums over pancakes or ice cream, consider enjoying them with warm biscuits or scones too. You might also like to use plums in these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Mini Caramelized Plum Upside Down Cake: follow the directions in the recipe but use plums instead of bananas.
- Baked Oatmeal
- Make a small batch of refrigerator jam.
- Use plums instead of berries in a fruit filled coffee cake.
- Make a fruit filled galette. Instead of apples, use caramelized plums.
- Add them to a dutch baby.
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon water
- 2 medium plums , sliced
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- In a 10-inch non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and water. Swirl the pan to dissolve the sugar. Cook until the mixture bubbles and become a golden caramel color, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from the heat and add the plum slices to the pan, spreading them out in a single layer. Return the pan to the heat and top the plums with salt and cinnamon, if using. Cook, stirring occasionally until plums have softened, 3 to 5 minutes more.
- Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator or use immediately.
Notes
- Use a non-stick pan, if possible. Caramelizing can get sticky and a non-stick pan works best when caramelizing fruit.
- If the plums are not sweet, feel free to add a little more sugar. If the plums are already very sweet, you might want to reduce the amount of sugar you use.
- Stir the fruit often and cook until the fruit has reached the softness you prefer.
- You can actually caramelize just about any stone fruit. You might like to consider using peaches or apples.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Loved this! My plums were not sweet so I added an extra tablespoon of sugar. Also added a bit of heavy cream at the end to give it that caramel creaminess, and a dash of vanilla. Can’t believe it was so easy. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Phoebe. Thank you so much for your feedback. Next time, I’ll have to add cream – that sounds like a delicious idea!