Fresh plums sautéed a caramelized butter sauce infused with red wine; topped with ice cream this easy and simple dessert is a satisfying sweet treat!
Are you ready for the easiest fresh plum dessert?! One that’s elegant enough to end a dinner party, yet easy enough to make for a weeknight sweet tooth fix?
Ok, ok, silly question I know because OF COURSE you are! This dessert is the only dessert I’m eating until plum season is over. Well, I’ll sneak in some pumpkin bars, too, but you get the point.
You’re going to want this on repeat too. I guarantee it. But wait, if this is unlike anything else, what is it exactly?
The Only Plum Dessert You Need
During our wine tour in Avignon, France (yessss, so much recipe inspiration came from that trip!) our guide François told us about the easiest dessert he makes with Côtes du Rhone wine, given that we were in the Rhone Valley region and all.
The steps were easy:
- Melt butter
- Add sugar
- Sautée the fruit
- Deglaze with wine and reduce
- Serve with ice cream
- Pour the wine sauce on top
Now, François told us he uses figs for this recipe. I chose to replace the figs with plums, however, because fig season seems incredibly short here in Minnesota. Like, you blink and it’s gone.
That being said, if you have some fresh figs on hand, use ’em! I have made it using figs before and they deliver an earthy sweetness that’s equally delicious.
I love adding some crushed shortbread cookies on top of the finished product. It adds an additional textural component, but if I don’t have any on hand and the craving hits, making it without the cookies is still a brilliant idea.
Plus! This sweet treat is also naturally gluten-free. If you’re adding shortbread cookies and want to keep it GF, make sure the cookies are a gluten-free variety, too.
The Sweet Red Wine Sauce
Get ready to lick the bowl clean. It’s that good. Bowl-licking good.
I never thought a simple combination of butter, sugar, and wine could create such a luxurious, creamy sauce. Well, suspicions were there (hello, WINE AND BUTTER AND SUGAR) but it’s unlike anything I could have imagined.
When the red wine sauce is poured over the ice cream and sautéed plums, it takes a simple dessert of fruit and ice cream to the next level. It’s indulgent and rich and …OH SO GOOD.
What Kind of Wine?
Given that we were right in the Côtes du Rhone region, it’s only natural that a lovely full Côtes du Rhone red is used to make the sauce. But if you have another drier, fruit forward red wine on hand, use it!
As long as you love drinking it, you can’t go wrong. Using a red that has rich, dark fruit forward flavors will enhance the flavor, as the plums will bring out those notes.
So go, pour yourself a glass of wine, and use a bit to make this simple fresh plum dessert immediately!
Sautéed Plums in Wine Sauce with Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3 TBSP unsalted butter
- 3 TBSP brown sugar
- 4 red or black plums sliced in half and pitted
- 1/4 cup Côtes du Rhone wine or red wine of choice
- Pinch of salt optional
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Optional: shortbread cookie crumbs
Instructions
- Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt, slightly brown. Whisk in brown sugar and add plums, cut side down. Let bubble and cook for 4-6 minutes, until slightly softened (you can move the plums around a bit if needed to prevent sticking).
- Remove the plums and set aside on a plate. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, whisking together to combine. Let slowly simmer for 2 minutes until reduced slightly. Remove from heat. The sauce will thicken slightly the longer it rests.
- Add plums to individual bowls, and top with desired amount of ice cream (I like at least 2 scoops per bowl!). Pour the red wine sauce on top of each bowl, distributing evenly. Garnish with crushed shortbread cookies, if desired.
Nutrition
This recipe is part of our Date Night Recipes to Love roundup. Check it out!