8 or 9 plums or pluots (assorted colors, if possible), pitted and sliced
3/4 cup sugar PLUS 1 cup sugar for topping
1/4 cup all-purpose flour PLUS 2 cups all-purpose flour for topping
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 stick butter
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a 9 X 13 baking pan, toss together the plums with the 3/4 cup sugar, the 1/4 cup flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon zest.
To make the topping, melt the butter over low heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour the melted butter and buttermilk into the dry ingredients and then stir until a sticky, wet dough forms.
Then, it’s just a matter of dropping spoonfuls of the dough evenly over the plums, leaving a few plums exposed. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes, until the crust is light brown, the plums are bubbling, and (as I learned) a knife comes out of the doughy topping clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving; will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.