Dried plum

Yes. “Prune” is the usual name for a dried plum, especially in recipes and food labels; the fruit is dried to concentrate its flavour and make it chewy.

Cover them with hot water and leave for 10–15 minutes, then drain. For a softer, more flavourful result, simmer them gently in water, tea or fruit juice for about 10 minutes.

Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard, away from sunlight. Once opened, refrigerate them if you want them to stay moist for longer, and use a clean, dry spoon or hand to take some out.

Chop them into porridge, yoghurt or savoury grain salads, or simmer them in tagines and stews with warming spices. They also work well in fruit compote and in cakes or muffins in place of some of the dried fruit.

Use dried apricots, dates or raisins in a similar amount. Dried apricots are usually less sweet and firmer, while dates are stickier; chop either into small pieces if the recipe calls for chopped dried plums.

Dried plums are denser and more concentrated, so a small handful gives you much more energy than the same weight of fresh plums: dried plums have 205 kcal per 100 g, compared with 46 kcal in plums.

A small portion is about four pitted dried plums, roughly 38 g. That provides 2.3 g of fibre and 78 kcal.