What is it?

The pluot, a cross of plum and apricot, comes in several varieties, like Flavor King, Emerald Beaut, Flavor Rich, and Dapple Dandy (or Dinosaur Egg). They look like large speckled plums with unusual colors. Depending on the variety, the skin can be purplish black, reddish-pink, or gold, and the flesh can range from red to yellow. Pluots usually taste more like a plum with a hint of apricot, but each variety exhibits a different combination of these flavors. Like both parent fruits, they have a short summer window of being at their most luscious, so try them while you can.

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You can usually substitute other similar stone fruits like plums or apricots.

How to choose:

Pluots are ripe when they’re fragrant and yield to gentle pressure. They bruise easily and should be handled with care.

How to prep:

Pluots are delicious eaten out of hand or in dishes that highlight, rather than compete with, their sweet flavor. They’re wonderful in baked goods like muffins, pies, and cakes like the one at right. They also taste great in salads and salsas, and they make fantastic jam. Warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg contrast pluots’ sweetness nicely. Nuts, particularly almonds, add depth to their flavor. For a rich treat, try pluots with creamy ingredients such as ice cream, whipped cream, or mild cheese.

How to store:

Those that are rock hard will not ripen any further, but those that have a bit of give will soften more if stored in a paper bag at room temperature for one or two days. Ripe pluots will keep at room temperature for up to three days, and in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Pluot Upside-Down Cake

  Sweet, juicy pluots are the star of this rustic dessert, but the cake itself—delicate and tender with a crisp exterior—is a close second. It’s delicious with softly whipped cream.

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  Recipe

  Pluot-Blueberry Cobbler with Coconut Dumplings

  The pluot—a cross between a plum and an apricot—is a perfect flavor partner for the ripe summer blueberries in this dumpling-topped cobbler. A dash of dark rum adds yet another layer…

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  Recipe

  Apricots with Moscato & Thyme Syrup

  This delightful salad begins by marinating dried apricots in a sweet Moscato wine. The wine plumps the apricots and then becomes part of a thyme-infused syrup. Moscato can be expensive,…