Home to roast

From Christmas lunch to Sunday best, Clare Ferguson's roasts are simply show-stopping

Roasted Plums with Home-made Marzipan and Port

Who needs plum pudding? Plums roasted with port are simple and delicious. Stuff with scented marzipan and serve with thick cream or crème fraîche.


SERVES 4-6
12 large red-fleshed plums
200g ground almonds
75g icing sugar
4 tsp orange or lemon zest shreds
1/2-1 tbsp orange flower water
6 vanilla pods, halved lengthways and crossways
100ml tawny port, or other favourite port


Pre-heat the oven to 190°C, Gas Mark 5. Using an apple corer, remove and discard the stones from the plums. Put the almonds, sugar, citrus zest and orange flower water into a food processor and whizz to a crumbly paste. Pinch the marzipan tightly into a ball. Roll into 12 equal balls and elongate each into an oval. Push one oval into each plum, then push 2 vanilla pod halves into the marzipan. Stand the plums in a roasting pan and drizzle the port around them. Roast for 10 minutes or until the fruit is fragrant, soft and bubbling.


Visit our Christmas page here for more festive entertaining ideas.

Chosen by House to home