Plum Almond Tart

 RSS    

I'm partial to plums for their unusual texture and myriad colors.

From late summer through October, you can find bright reddish-purple, green or yellow plums, all of which have their own signature flavor.

This Plum Almond Tart is my go-to dessert recipe for early fall dinner parties or Sunday lunch.

It is pretty and impressive to serve, especially when you tell your guests that you made it yourself. Make sure to select plums that still have some give to them when you press them. If they are too soft it will be difficult to cut them into thin slices. If you can't find plums, you can substitute fall apples or pears with an equally delicious result.

Fruit tarts are easy to make but just take a little time to prepare. If you are pressed for time, you can use a store bought pastry and then roll it out. You don't have to peel the plums for this French style tart. With the skin on, the plum slices retain their shape and add a tangy contrast to the sweet almond filling. Serve some creme fraiche or whipped cream on the side, if you like.

Plum Almond Tart

Serves 8-10

For the Pastry:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

1/2cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen and cut into small pieces

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons ice water

For the Almond filling:

1 1/2 cups sliced, blanched almonds

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup almond liqueur

2 large eggs

For the Plum Topping:

1 1/4 pounds fresh plums, pitted and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1. For pastry: Combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process a few seconds to blend. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 5-10 seconds.

2. With blades of processor turning, gradually add the egg yolk and then add the water until dough is just beginning to come together into a ball and will adhere when pinched.

3. Transfer dough to floured pastry board or work surface. Press into round shape for easy rolling. Roll out into a circle large enough to fit a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Drape a circle over the rolling pin and fit it into the pan. Roll the rolling pin over tart pan with moderate pressure to remove excess overlapping dough. Place tart on baking sheet.

4. Press pastry with fingers so it adheres to sides of pan. If using tart pan with straight edges, raise edges of pastry 1/4 to 1/2-inch above top of pan by squeezing dough from both sides using your index finger.

5. Preheat oven to 400 F

6. For almond filling: Process the almonds in the food processor fitted with the metal blade until they are finely ground. Add sugar, butter, flour and liqueur. Turn machine on and off until a meal-like paste is formed. Add the eggs and process for 10 seconds to incorporate. Spread mixture in lined pan to make an even layer.

7. For plum topping: Arrange plum slices overlapping in concentric circles. Be sure to fit them tightly together. Arrange 2 rows of plum slices in the center of the tart.

8. Dot the plums with butter and sugar and bake for 1 hour or until tart is brown on top. Remove from oven and cool. Remove the sides of the tart pan and place on a pie or cake platter.

Advance Preparation:

The tart may be prepared one day in advance through step 6, covered and kept in the refrigerator overnight. The finished tart may he kept up to 6 hours in the refrigerator. Remove it from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. It is best served at room temperature.

 

Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks (click here), including "Seriously Simple Holidays: Recipes and Ideas to Celebrate the Season," and also a James Beard award-winning radio show host.

Available at Amazon.com:

Anna Getty's Easy Green Organic

Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker

The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern: Knockout Dishes with Down-Home Flavor

Stonewall Kitchen: Grilling: Fired-Up Recipes for Cooking Outdoors All Year Long

Luscious Coconut Desserts

Tapas: Sensational Small Plates From Spain

Simply Organic: A Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal, and Local Ingredients

 RSS    

MORE RECIPES:   DESSERT | PASTA | SEAFOOD | WOLFGANG PUCK

Recipes

 

More Recipes

Savor the Plum in this Fancy Fruit Plum Almond Tarts - Recipe

(c) 2010 Diane Rossen Worthington Recipes