Plum and Cinnamon Oat Slices

Makes 15
 

1 Ib (450 g) fresh plums '

1 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon

10 oz (275 g) organic plain

wholemeal flour

5 oz (150 g) organic porridge oats

1 teaspoon salt

8 oz (225 g) butter

4 oz (110 g) light brown soft sugar

You will also need a non-stick baking tin measuring 10x6 inches (25.5 x 15 cm) and 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep, lightly greased.

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C).

This is really an all-fruit recipe — it's exceptionally good with plums, but I love it with fresh or dried no-soak apricots, or apples, raspberries and bluebemes; in fact you can add whatever is in season. It's wonderful served either warm as a dessert with cream, or cold with ice cream, instead of cake with tea. It's also a great recipe for children to make, as it's so easy.

Start by cutting all the plums in half, around and through their natural line, give a little twist to separate the halves and remove the stones, then cur them into thin slices. Now place them in a bowl and toss them around with the cinnamon. Next mix the flour and porridge oats together with the salt in a mixing bowl, then melt the butter and sugar in a small saucepan over a fairly gentle heat, stirring from time to time until the butter has melted. Now mix the melted butter and sugar with the oat mixture, starting with a wooden spoon but finishing off with your hands so you end up with a lump of dough. Now halve the dough and press one half of the mixture into the baking tin, pressing it firmly all over the base with your hands like a wall-to-wall carpet. Next scatter the plums evenly over the surface, then top with the remaining oat mixture, again pressing down firmly.

Now place the tin on the centre shelf of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or a bit longer if you like the top really crispy. Then remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before marking into 15 squares - to do this make 2 cuts lengthways, then 4 cuts widthways, and don't worry if they're not all even. Unless you want to serve these warm, leave to cool completely in the tin. Note: if you want to serve this as a dessert, it can be made in a round 9 inch (23 cm) springform tin, in which case it can be cut into 8-10 wedges and served warm from the oven.