Time needed: 30 minutes.

Ingredients list

Pie Crust:
6.3 oz (180 g) all-purpose flour
1.8 oz (50 g) powdered / confectioners sugar
3.5 oz (7 tbsps / 100 g) unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
a bit of fresh lemon peel

Filling:
about 20+ plums
ground cinnamon
vanilla-flavored sugar

Sponge Cake:
2-3 egg whites
2tbsps fresh lemon juice
2.5oz (70g) powdered / confectioners sugar
1 egg yolk
1.4oz (40g) Semi-Coarse Flour (you can substitute with Wondra) OR use all-purpose flour
2oz (60g) ground poppy seeds

1. Clean the plums

   Wash the plums ahead. Set aside.

2. Grind the Poppy Seeds

   No, really. It is crucial to smash those seeds and it doesn’t matter if you use a grinder or hand mortar. You need to release the flavor! Or it would be like eating candies in a wrapper.

3. If you have a Mortar instead of the Grinder?

   A small tip: Grind just a little bit of seeds at the time. It takes longer and some muscle, but it works too.

4. Preheat the Oven

   Don’t forget to turn on your oven ahead, and preheat it to 355°F or 180°C.

5. Make the Pie Crust

   Mix the Pie Crust dry ingredients and then blend with the softened butter, egg yolk and lemon peel. (Reserve the egg white for later.) Form a homogenous dough ball.

6. Fill the Form

   I am using my 11″ (29cm) round pie dish for this one. Roll out the dough flat and line the bottom of your form.

7. Fill with Plums

   Split the plums to remove the pits and slightly push them open flat. Spread them evenly on top of your unbaked crust.

8. Add Flavor

   Sprinkle generously with ground cinnamon and vanilla-flavored sugar.

9. Bake the filled Crust

   Place the pan in the preheated oven (355°F/ 180°C) and bake for about 15 minutes until the plums start to sizzle, turn golden and smell magical.

10. In the Meantime Make Sponge Batter

    Let’s separate another egg and set the egg yolk aside. We need both egg whites now. Preferably 3 if you have some leftover from a previous project. It depends on how much of a sponge cake you like on top of your pie. Add 2 tbsps of fresh lemon juice. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form… about 10 minutes. Then stir in the sugar. Then gradually add the egg yolk with flour. You can do this gently by hand. Or slowly in a blender with a whisk. It is better to use Semi-Coarse flour which you could substitute with Wondra or similar loose flour that is not too dense. But if the All-purpose flour is all you have you can sift it and carefully fold it into your batter.
    
    Don’t forget to occasionally scrape the sides of the bowl so your dry ingredients are evenly blended in.
    
    

11. Add Poppy Seeds

    At the very last, fold in the ground poppy seeds very slowly and carefully. If you are too fast they might deflate your egg whites.
    
    You should be just about ready when your timer for the pie crust goes off.
    

12. Cover with Sponge Batter

    Remove the baked pie from the oven and pour the sponge batter right over it. Spread it evenly using a spatula and return back to the oven as soon as you can.
    Bake for about 10 more minutes until the sponge cake turns golden and stiff.

13. Serve

    After you pull out the pie from the oven, you can serve it right away. It tastes best while still warm.

14. Enjoy!

    Make some hot autumn flavored tea, cut the pie to pieces and serve!
    Curl up with your hot drink under a soft warm blanket and enjoy a warm and delicious Plum & Poppy Sponge Pie!