Plum Duff with Sweet Arrowroot Sauce

2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup cream cheese
2 cups pitted and quartered plums
1 cup flour, white wheat or whole wheat pastry
1/2 teaspoon salt


Warm the egg whites in a double boiler with a bit of the brown sugar, whisking. When they are warm, remove from heat and beat until stiff peaks form.

Beat egg yolks and a bit of the brown sugar. Cream in the rest of the sugar, cream cheese, and butter. Stir in plums. Fold in the egg whites.

Fold flour and salt into plum mixture. Pour into a well-greased 1-quart mold or bowl, and tie waxed paper loosely over the mold, or cover with foil scrunched around the edges. This is to prevent water from dripping onto the pudding when it condenses on the lid of the steamer. Place mold in steamer and steam for 1 hour or until pudding tests done.

If you don't have a steamer, you can place the mold in a large pot with water. The pot needs to be large enough that the pudding mold doesn't stick out the top. If it floats, that's fine, if not, use something underneath to stabilize it and keep it off the bottom of the pan. Place a well-fitting lid on top of the pan.

When done, remove from steamer and let cool slightly. Loosen the edges of the pudding by running a knife between the pudding and the bowl. Turn out onto the serving plate.

Serve with sweet arrowroot sauce, or other desired pudding sauce, or eat plain.