(Serves 4-6)

• 4 cups diced plums (approx.700g-800g)

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 50 g butter

• 1 cinnamon stick

• Splash of water

Batter

• 1 cup plain flour

• ⅓ cup caster sugar

• 2 tsp baking powder

• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

• 65 g cold butter, chopped

• 1 egg

• ⅓ cup milk

• 2 tbsp demerara sugar, for sprinkling

• ¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped

1. Warm things up

   Preheat the oven to 180°C. Set aside a shallow baking dish.

2. Cook the plums

   Place the plums, sugar, butter and cinnamon into a small saucepan with a splash of water (just enough to stop sticking).
   Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, until the plums soften and release their juices.

   Remove from the heat, remove the cinnamon, then spoon the plum mixture into your prepared baking dish. Spread evenly.

3. Make the batter

   In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder. Add the lemon zest and whisk briefly to combine.

   Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

   In a small jug, whisk together the egg and milk, then gently mix into the dry ingredients to form a thick, spoonable batter.

4. Assemble

   Spoon generous dollops of batter over the plums, leaving a few gaps for the fruit to bubble through.
   Sprinkle liberally with chopped pistachios and demerara sugar for a golden, crunchy finish.

5. Bake & serve

   Bake for 35 minutes, or until the topping is golden and cooked through and the plums are bubbling around the edges. Serve warm with your favourite accompaniment.

Snapshot!

At 1750kJ per serve, this plum cobbler sits firmly in dessert territory, rich, comforting and designed to be enjoyed. Carbohydrate comes in at 52g, with 35g as natural and added sugars, largely driven by the plums and sugar used to soften and sweeten the fruit. This gives the dish its jammy, syrupy base and classic cobbler appeal.

The fat content (19g) is mostly from butter, contributing to the tender crumb and golden top, with 11g saturated fat reflecting its role as an indulgent bake rather than an everyday staple. Pistachios and egg add small but meaningful contributions of protein (6g) and unsaturated fats, supporting flavour, texture and satisfaction rather than shifting this into “high-protein” territory.

With 3g fibre, the plums bring some digestive benefit and structure to the sweetness, while keeping the dessert light enough to finish a meal comfortably. Sodium is modest at 129mg, showing that flavour here comes from fruit, spice and technique, not salt.

 *Analysis is based on a six-serve recipe and does not include ice cream as pictured.

What it means on the plate

This is a fruit-forward dessert with a buttery backbone.
Plums do the heavy lifting, delivering colour, acidity and natural sweetness, while the cobbler topping provides warmth, crunch and comfort. Pistachios add a subtle nutty richness and textural contrast, making each spoonful feel intentional and complete. Best enjoyed warm, paired with yoghurt, cream or ice cream depending on the moment.

Food group balance → A classic dessert balance: grains and fruit lead, supported by small amounts of protein and dairy, coming together to create a satisfying, celebratory finish rather than a nutritionally “perfect” plate.

• Grains 1 serve (flour)

• Fruit 0.6 serves (plums)

• Protein 0.3 serves (pistachios & egg)

• Dairy – milk contributes a tiny amount!

CWJ Takeaway

Desserts don’t need to be stripped back to be balanced. Fruit-led, well-portioned and joy-filled baking absolutely has a place. This cobbler shows how technique, seasonal produce and thoughtful serves can turn something indulgent into something nourishing in context.