Elephant Heart plums are not only stunning, they’re also unbelievably sweet and juicy. This dessert of Elephant Heart Plums with Balsamic Glaze & Vanilla Ice Cream is truly over-the-top! 
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I love, love beautiful food!
When I sliced into one of the Elephant Heart Plums I bought the other day, I felt obligated to display them artfully. They are so stunning. And delicious!
What are Elephant Heart Plums?
- Elephant Heart plums are the invention of Luther Burbank, an American botanist, horticulturist and pioneer in agricultural science. In 1880 he began with a dozen plum seeds from Japan. Now, almost all plums come from these Japanese ancestors.
- The Elephant Heart plum is often referred to as a “Blood plum” because of the deep, ruby-red interior color.
- These Japanese plums are primarily grown in California.
- The word “heart” in its name comes from the shape of this beautiful plum. It resembles a heart shape when whole, and even move so when it’s sliced in half.
- These plums are known for both their large size and superior flavor. They are generally bigger than other plum varieties — sometimes the size of a baseball!
- Though divine to eat out of hand when they’re soft, when they’re firm the plums are a good choice for baking as they hold their shape well.
- The stone (pit) in these plums separates easily from the flesh, making them easy to slice for salads, fruit platters, etc.
- Elephant Heart plums are typically in season mid to late summer.
What do Elephant Heart Plums Taste Like?
- Elephant Heart plums are super sweet with a rich tropical and flavor, and subtle vanilla overtones.
- Like most plums, the skin is a bit tart.
Little known fact: Many moons ago I made and sold food greeting cards. This one, titled “Love Plums,” is of Elephant Heart plums, and was for Valentine’s Day.
Elephant Heart Plums with Balsamic Glaze & Vanilla Ice Cream is a show stopping dessert — both in flavor and looks!
The wonderfully intense fruit flavors are balanced with the vanilla ice cream. And the light sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper and drizzle of balsamic glaze give it just enough of a kick to put it over the top!
Tip: I use Kampot pepper from The Pepper Project. There truly are differences in the flavor of different peppers. Kampot is outstanding (and for a good cause). It truly enhances this dessert.
Oh, and the summer strawberries just add more deliciousness and beauty!
Sometimes it’s the most simple recipes that are the best.
Can’t get enough beautiful summer plums? Here are a few more recipes I have up my sleeve:
- Almond-Plum Upside Down Cake with Pandan
- Midori-Pandan Poached Plum Cups
- Grape-Plum Summer Salsa
- Port Wine Glazed Plum Cookies and Vanilla Cream
- Meyer Lemon Black Quinoa Plum & Avocado Salad
This is not a sponsored post. I write about foods and ingredients I love.
Elephant Heart plums are not only stunning, they’re also unbelievably sweet and juicy. This dessert of Elephant Heart Plums with Balsamic Glaze & Vanilla Ice Cream is truly over-the-top!
- 2 Elephant Heart plums, washed and dried
- about 5 small strawberries, washed and dried
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 scoops your favorite vanilla ice cream
- freshly ground black pepper
- a few small sprigs fresh herbs, like thyme, mint or oregano
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Cut the plums in half, lengthwise, gently remove the pits, and then cut each half horizontally into thin slices. (They can be cut in half much like an avocado: Slice around the pit, and then gently twist the halves to pull them apart.)
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Arrange the plum slices evenly between two dessert plates, in a circular pattern, or however you’d like.
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Remove the stems from the strawberries, cut them into thin slices, and arrange them any which way on top of the plums.
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Add the balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan and place it over high heat. As soon as it’s bubbling, turn the heat to low and simmer just until it becomes thick and is reduced by about half, about 7 minutes.
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Add a scoop of the ice cream on top of each plate, drizzle with the balsamic glaze, and sprinkle with a bit of freshly ground black pepper.
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Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh herbs if desired, and serve immediately!
This sounds delicious! I didn’t know anything about elephant heart plums. Great info!
Thanks, Danielle! Hope you try one. 🙂
Such an amazing combination of flavors! Perfect dessert for summer!
Thanks so much. Hope you give it a go. 🙂
I’ve never heard of those type of plums before, but they look beautiful!! Nice combo with the balsamic too. Perfect summer meal 🙂
I love this combination too — hope you try it! 🙂
Wow! So beautiful! I’ve never had elephant heart plums before but I will definitely have to give them a try!
Yes! They’re SO delicious. Thank you! 🙂
WOW! What a gorgeous looking plate! I am not familiar with Elephant Heart Plums but they sure are gorgeous – that coloring is stunning! Now I need to head to a farmers market to look for these plums! BTW – Delicious pairing too!
I hope you run into these at a Farmers Market – ask for a taste if you see them. 🙂 Thanks!
That looks terrific! And I don’t think I know the Elephant Heart Plum — glad to make its acquaintance. Love balsamic with strawberries — great combo. Bet it tastes great with the plums and ice cream, too. Super dish — thanks.
Thanks so much, John! I hope you come across these plums — they truly are special. Enjoy! 🙂
I have never seen these for sale in Arizona. I would love to get my hands on some to make my plum soup! I will keep my eyes open! Thanks for the introduction!
Beautiful looking dessert, amazing colours. I love how artistic the plums are, so pretty. Just perfect for a delicious treat on a hot summer day.
Oh my goodness. I LOVE this post! We always crack fresh Kampot pepper on our strawberries…strawberry ice cream…everything…but these plums! Must find. What a way to elevate a simple dish.