Plum Plunder

Ingredients

• 500 g flour
• 30 g yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 250 ml lukewarm milk
• 50 g soft butter
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 200 g butter
• 50 g flour
• Zuckerguss (for glazing)
• 50 g marzipan dough
• 32 plums (2 each per pastry piece)
• 3 tbsp breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. 1.

   Whisk yeast with a little lukewarm milk and sugar until smooth, then add the flour, salt and eggs to a mixing bowl and knead with hand mixer attachments into an elastic dough; continue kneading until the dough is firm, dry and pulls away from the bowl edges, adding a bit of flour if needed. Lightly dust the dough with flour, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes until it nearly doubles in volume.

2. 2.

   Quickly knead butter with flour, shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

3. 3.

   Roll the yeast dough on a lightly floured surface into a sheet of roughly 20 x 25 cm.

4. 4.

   Roll the butter‑flour mixture between parchment paper into a sheet of about 15 x 15 cm.

5. 5.

   Place the butter sheet on one side of the yeast dough, fold the other side over it, brush edges with water and press firmly together.

6. 6.

   Roll the dough into a sheet of roughly 30 x 40 cm. Fold each edge toward the center from the thin sides, then fold again in the middle, wrap in plastic and chill for about 20 minutes.

7. 7.

   After chilling repeat the rolling and folding (tour) twice more.

8. 8.

   Finally roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into four sheets of about 30 x 32 cm. Cut each sheet into 15 x 15 squares; cut the remaining strips into circles.

9. 9.

   Wash, halve and pit the plums. Grate marzipan finely and mix with breadcrumbs.

10. 10.

    Score each square from corner to center about 5 cm deep.

11. 11.

    Spoon half the marzipan mixture into the center of each square, place four plum halves on top, sprinkle with the rest of the mixture and fold each scored edge toward the center to form a windmill shape. Place the circle in the middle and press firmly.

12. 12.

    Place on a parchment‑lined baking tray (keep spacing) and let rise until nearly doubled again.

13. 13.

    Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C for about 20–25 minutes.

14. 14.

    Brush finished pastry grids with glaze, allow to dry and serve with coffee.