Empress Plum

Discover the exceptional sweetness and versatility of Empress Plums, a distinguished variety that brings rich flavor and beautiful deep purple color to your kitchen. These medium to large-sized stone fruits are prized for their firm yet juicy flesh and perfectly balanced sweet-tart taste that intensifies as they ripen. Empress plums feature an attractive dark purple skin that gives way to golden-yellow flesh, making them as visually appealing as they are delicious. The robust flavor profile of Empress plums makes them ideal for both fresh eating and culinary applications. Their firm texture holds up beautifully in baking, making them perfect for classic plum tarts, crumbles, and upside-down cakes. These plums also excel in savory applications, particularly in European and Mediterranean cuisines where they're often paired with pork, duck, or incorporated into rich sauces and chutneys. Their natural sweetness and slight acidity create wonderful preserves, jams, and compotes that capture the essence of late summer. When selecting Empress plums, look for fruits that yield slightly to gentle pressure and have a sweet aroma at the stem end. They can be ripened at room temperature and will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week once ripe. For baking, use slightly firmer plums to prevent them from breaking down too much during cooking. Try them in traditional German pflaumenkuchen, French clafoutis, or simply roasted with honey and herbs as an elegant dessert or accompaniment to roasted meats.