Plum Cake with Butter and Almonds (German)

Germany is the country of Italian plums, they are harvested normally in September and sometimes even in October. These plums are called "Zwetschgen" in German and are hard to find in the USA. If you can get them you will love this German Plum Butter cake. It's a yeast dough base, topped with plums, butter and almonds.

butter (150 g)
1 pkg dry yeast (42 g fresh yeast)
all-purpose flour, unbleached (500 g)
1 dash sea salt
1 lemon, freshly squeezed
1 lemon, freshly grated
1 egg
Italian Damson plums (500 g)
almonds, sliced (100 g)

Melt 50 g butter, heat milk until lukewarm. Add yeast to the milk.

Combine 75 g sugar with all-purpose flour, unbleached, salt and zest in a bowl.

Add the yeast milk, egg and butter, melted to the dough.

Knead until you get a smooth dough.

Use all-purpose flour, unbleached on your hands and form the dough to a ball.

Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and let raise for about 20 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Cut plums in half, remove pit.

Chop butter in small cubes.

Grease a high sheet baking tray (size 32x38 cm or 12x15", height minimum 2").

Roll the dough on the baking tray and let raise for another 15 minutes.

Spread the plums on the dough and press gently into the dough.

In between the plums make little molds and place in each mold a butter piece.

Sprinkle with almond slices and 125 g sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Makes 34 pieces.