Plum October Sun Each

The October Sun is a mid-season plum that sits firmly in the sweeter end of the spectrum. Large, deeply golden-red fleshed, and with a rich sweetness that is more reminiscent of apricot than the tartness of earlier season varieties. If you have written off plums as too sharp, the October Sun is the one to reconsider.

October Sun plums are at their best from late January through February when they ripen later in the Australian stone fruit season, after most other plum varieties have finished.

Look for plums that are deeply coloured and give slightly to gentle pressure. Avoid rock-hard fruit with no give, or anything very soft and mushy. Leave firm ones on the bench for a day to finish ripening.

Eat them fresh, slice over yoghurt or muesli, bake into a crumble or tart, or cook down into a jam or sauce. The sweet, rich flesh works beautifully in both raw and cooked applications.