Plum sorbet with chocolate crumbs and dulce de leche

Tam West

In Margaret River, Western Australia, we ate lunch at Wills Domain Winery in Yalling up where the dessert was the inspiration for this recipe. The sorbet will keep in the freezer for a couple of days. The crumbs can be made a few days in advance and stored in an airtight container. The very good New Zealand-made, Pampero brand dulce de leche comes out of a jar.

For the sorbet

1 can	Black Doris plum, 850g, plums drained and stones removed (freeze the syrup and use in cocktails or smoothies) (Main)
1 Tbsp	Brandy
1 large	Egg white
1 Tbsp	Freeze-dried plum powder, I used Fresh As, this intensifies the plum flavour but is optional
¼ cup	Caster sugar

For the chocolate crumbs

75 g	Cold butter, diced 1cm
¼ cup	Caster sugar
¼ cup	Flour
¼ cup	Cocoa powder
1 pinch	Salt

To serve

150 g	Dulce de leche
300 ml	Cream, whipped

Directions

To make the sorbet

1. Place a 1 litre-capacity plastic container in the freezer to chill.
2. Puree the stoned plums, the brandy and plum powder (if using) in a food processor until smooth. Reserve.
3. Using an electric mixer if you have one, beat the egg white until stiff. Once stiff, add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating for a minute or so after every addition so that you have a very thick, glossy meringue-like mixture.
4. Quickly fold the plum mixture into it and place in the chilled container. Place in the freezer for 4 hours or until frozen.

To make the chocolate crumbs

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Line a small shallow oven tray with baking paper.
2. Place everything in a food processor and process until the mixture starts to clump together.
3. Tip on the paper-lined tray and break up the lumps so you have a gravel-like mixture with no lump bigger than a pea.
4. Spread the mixture out into one layer and place in the oven for 10 minutes. It will have melted into flattish lumps and will crisp as it cools.
5. Remove from the oven and cool. Use your fingers to crumble the mixture.

To serve

On each plate, spread a couple of tablespoons of dulce de leche. Sprinkle over some of the chocolate crumb and place a scoop of the plum sorbet on top. Serve the dessert with a bowl of whipped cream on the side.

More recipes from Ray, inspired by his trip to Western Australia

• Smoked fish and prawn rillettes
• Seeded broccoli and kumara salad