Prunes are dried plums. In French prune is plum and pruneau is prune. Prunes have a good-for-you reputation in the United States and other countries but here in France it is always, first and foremost about the taste.
The best prunes in France are the pruneaux d’Agen coming from a small, oval variety of purple plums called le prunier d’Ente, grown in around the towns of Agen and Villeneuve-sur-Lot. In fact, 95% of the prunes produced in France come from this small corner of the Southwest region. These are probably the world’s best prunes – large, moist and delicious – a far cry from the unglamorous, small dried fruits that were part of my grandmother’s personal wellness regime. They are really quite special, so much so that the French hold them in the same high regard as foie gras and Armagnac, other star products from the same region.
In France,the plums are harvested from late August until mid September. The large growers harvest all the fruit at once with mechanical harvesters. More careful growers, will make several passes as the fruit starts to ripen, gently shaking the trees so only the tree-ripe fruit falls to the ground. The plums are then washed and oven-dried for 16 hours for prunes mi-cuit (partially dried) and 20-26 hours for prunes sec (dried). Prunes mi-cuit are shiny black, soft and full of flavor. They are best eaten just as they are. Prunes sec, have a lower humidity level than prunes mi-cuit, but a longer shelf life.
Prunes are extremely versatile and can be found throughout the French culinary repertoire – their sweetness matches up well with pork – bacon wrapped prunes are a popular hors d’ouevres and butcher shops often prepare prune stuffed pork loins for Sunday lunch. But Lapin aux Pruneaux (rabbit cooked with prunes) is a classic and duck, game birds and the Christmas goose or turkey is often paired up with prune sauces. Brittany’s famous flan, Far Breton, features prunes and the only thing I like better than prunes and chocolate is pruneaux à l’Armagnac (prunes soaked in Armagnac).
I have been making one version or another of this recipe for years. In my recipe file I have a prune and chocolate souffle from Delia Smith, a BBC recipe for a Sunken Drunken Chocolate cake and numerous prune tarts and tortes clipped here and there from French cooking magazines. This recipe is a variation on all of them.
Agen prunes, like the best cured olives, are sold with pits as this enhances their flavor and keeps their flesh firm. To pit prunes, slice them with a knife and push out the pit. Agen prunes are available outside of France but if you can’t find them they can be replaced by California prunes, sometimes known as dried plums.
The torte is delicious served on its own, but I like to serve it with the Spiked Caramel Sauce to round out the flavors.
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