Plum Almond Pastry Recipes

DEEP DISH PLUM AND ALMOND PIE

Steps:

• For the Crust:
• If using the anise seeds, lightly toast them in skillet over medium heat until aromatic, 2 minutes. Grind in a spice mill or mortar and pestle until fine.
• Combine the butter and sugar in a food processor until creamy. Add the egg, anise seed if using, vanilla and salt and pulse to combine. (This may look rough and curdy, but don't worry, it all comes back together.) Add about half of the flour and pulse quickly 3 to 4 times to incorporate. Scrape down the edges of the processor and add the remaining flour. Pulse just enough to make a coarse, crumbly dough.
• Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan to form a thin, even layer, using waxed paper to smooth. Freeze crust while you prepare the filling.
• For the Filling:
• Pulse 1 1/2 cups almonds in a food processor until very finely ground (take care not to overprocess the nuts or they can get oily). Transfer nuts to a bowl. In the same processor, combine the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the cinnamon and continue to pulse until evenly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse in the egg. Add the reserved almonds and pulse until just blended.
• Arrange the plums cut side down, over the crust. Spread the filling on top and smooth with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup almonds and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake pie until the filling puffs and is golden but still slightly soft in the center, 1 hour 15 minutes for a glass bottomed pan, or 1 hour 30 minutes for an aluminum pan. If the crust begins to overbrown, cover the pie with foil during the last 15 minutes of cooking. When pie is done, turn off the oven and prop door open. Cool pie in the oven for 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Serve at room temperature with ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.

PLUM ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Combine butter or oil, confectioners' sugar, salt and vanilla bean seeds in a stand mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more. Scrape down sides of bowl, add the egg and then the flour, and continue mixing until smooth. Remove dough from the bowl, wrap in plastic and refrigerate, about 1 hour, or until firm.
• Make the almond filling: Grind together the blanched almonds and flour in a food processor until they form a textured almond flour.
• Combine butter or oil, confectioners' sugar and salt in a stand mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more. Scrape down sides of bowl, add egg and egg yolk, and continue mixing until mixture comes together and is homogeneous, about 2 minutes. Add almond mixture all at once, and mix until batter just comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and set aside for 10 minutes. Knead dough to loosen it, then pat together into a ball again. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12- to 13-inch round using a floured rolling pin. Quickly transfer dough to an 11-inch pie plate or tart shell, trimming the edges as needed. Place the lined shell in the freezer until frozen.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove shell from the freezer, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake crust for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to color. Remove the weights and bake 5 minutes longer. Cool completely.
• While the crust cools, cut plums into 1/4-inch wedges.
• Using an offset spatula, spread cooled tart shell with the almond cream. Starting at the outside of the pan, arrange plums in a circle on top so all the pieces overlap. Turn plums the opposite way for the second circle. Fill the center with the remaining plums or another fruit if you wish.
• Sprinkle a few pinches of turbinado sugar over plums and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until almond cream is puffed and golden brown and the plums are softened.

PLUM, ALMOND AND ORANGE GALETTE

Steps:

• Remove the pastry from the freezer and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Leave it to thaw while you prepare the fruit. It will thaw quickly and is easiest to handle if it's cold. You want it just soft enough so that you can manipulate it.
• Combine the plums, 2 tablespoons of the sugar or honey, walnuts, orange zest, vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a large bowl and gently toss together.
• Sprinkle the almond powder over the pastry, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border all around. Place the fruit on top. Fold the edges of the dough in over the fruit, pleating the edges as you work your way around the fruit to form a free-form tart that is roughly 9 inches in diameter. Place in the freezer on the baking sheet for 45 minutes to an hour. This helps the galette maintain its shape. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove the galette from the freezer. Brush the exposed pastry with the egg wash. Combine the sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the fruit and the crust. Place in the oven and bake 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbly and some of the juices have run out and caramelized on the parchment. Remove from the oven and serve hot or warm.

PLUM & ALMOND PASTRY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Line a very large rectangular baking sheet with baking parchment. Unravel the roll of pastry and carefully lift on top. Sprinkle over the ground almonds and scatter the plums to make an even layer. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds, then the sugar.
• Bake for 18-20 mins until the pastry is golden and the plums are tender. Allow to stand for 10 mins to cool a little, then sprinkle with a little more sugar and serve.

PLUM TART WITH ALMOND PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• For the filling: Fill a large stockpot halfway with water and bring to a boil. While water is boiling, take a paring knife and cut a 1/2-inch X on the bottom of each plum. Set aside. Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside. When water is boiling, gently drop plums into water for 30 to 45 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately submerge in ice water for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and dry plums gently with a paper towel. Over a medium-sized bowl, remove skins from plums - they should slip off fairly easily. Slice plums in half and remove pits. Toss with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice and set aside.
• For the crust: Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
• Grind the almonds in a food processor until they are a fine crumb. Add the pastry flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar to the almond in the processor and pulse 5 times to incorporate. Add butter and oil and pulse for about 20 seconds, until mixture forms small clumps. Add the egg white and pulse an additional 20 to 30 times, until mixture forms a ball, being sure not to over-process. Dough will hold together, but be slightly sticky. Evenly press dough into the bottom and sides a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable bottom. Bake for 8 to10 minutes, or until surface of tart is no longer shiny. Remove from oven and let cool. Place tart shell on a cookie sheet. Toss plum halves in their own juices in bowl. Arrange plums, cut-side down, in the tart shell, crowding as many plums as you can into tart. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fruit is slightly tender but still firm. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• For the glaze: Heat preserves over a low flame or in microwave until melted. Combine with water and brush surface of tart.

CLASSIC PLUM AND ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Lightly grease a 9-inch loose bottomed tart tin.
• Roll out the pastry to an even thickness and line the tart tin. Cut away any excess, crimp the edges for decoration if you wish, then pop the lined tin into the fridge while you make the filling.
• In a large baking bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. To do this, you can use either a fork, whisk, or electric hand whisk.
• Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add the vanilla extract.
• Then carefully, a little at a time, add the beaten egg to the creamed butter and sugar whisking continuously.
• Sift the flour into the ground almonds.
• Then, using a spatula or tablespoon, carefully fold the ground almonds and flour into the creamed mixture until thoroughly incorporated.
• Heat the oven to 350 F/175 C/Gas 4.
• Take the pastry case from the fridge and gently spoon the creamed almonds into the case and spread to fill-be careful not to be too heavy-handed and flatten out all the air from the mixture.
• Halve the plums, remove the stone, then cut each plum into thick slices (about 6 to 8 per plum).
• Slightly overlapping each slice, arrange in circles on top of the mixture, gently pushing each slice into the almond cream.
• Place the filled tart into the centre of the preheated oven. Bake for between 45 and 50 minutes until the pastry and filling is cooked and golden, and the plums softened and released their juices into the cake.
• Leave the tart to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then carefully remove and put onto a plate or cake stand.
• Serve cold with a nice cup of tea or coffee, warm with, as mentioned before, a little custard or cream.

PLUM TART WITH ALMOND PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• For the filling:
• Fill a large stockpot halfway with water and bring to a boil.
• While water is boiling, take a paring knife and cut a 1/2-inch X on the bottom of each plum. Set aside.
• Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside.
• When water is boiling, gently drop plums into water for 30 to 45 seconds.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately submerge in ice water for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove and dry plums gently with a paper towel.
• Over a medium-sized bowl, remove skins from plums - they should slip off fairly easily.
• Slice plums in half and remove pits.
• Toss with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice and set aside.
• For the crust:
• Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
• Grind the almonds in a food processor until they are a fine crumb.
• Add the pastry flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar to the almond in the processor and pulse 5 times to incorporate.
• Add butter and oil and pulse for about 20 seconds, until mixture forms small clumps.
• Add the egg white and pulse an additional 20 to 30 times, until mixture forms a ball, being sure not to over-process.
• Dough will hold together, but be slightly sticky.
• Evenly press dough into the bottom and sides a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable bottom.
• Bake for 8 to10 minutes, or until surface of tart is no longer shiny.
• Remove from oven and let cool.
• Place tart shell on a cookie sheet.
• Toss plum halves in their own juices in bowl.
• Arrange plums, cut-side down, in the tart shell, crowding as many plums as you can into tart.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fruit is slightly tender but still firm.
• Remove from the oven and let cool.
• For the glaze:
• Heat preserves over a low flame or in microwave until melted.
• Combine with water and brush surface of tart.

PLUM AND ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Sift flour into bowl, cut in butter, add egg yolk and enough water to mix to a dry dough.
• Turn onto lightly floured surface, knead lightly until smooth, cover, refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Roll pastry large enough to line a 9-inch flan pan, refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile halve and seed plums, drain on absorbent paper.
• Combine almonds, sugar, lemon rind and egg in bowl, mix to a paste.
• Combine extra sugar and cinnamon thoroughly.
• Spread almond mixture into pastry case, top with plums, dot with butter, sprinkle with sugar mixture.
• Bake in 375°F oven about 50 minutes or until golden brown.
• Dust with powdered sugar, serve warm or cold with shipped cream and sliced almonds.

PLUM-ALMOND TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Unfold pastry; cut into 4 squares. Set on sheet; pierce all over with fork. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon almond paste over each square, leaving 1/2-inch border. Place plum wedges atop pastry, leaving 1/2-inch border. Cut 1/2-inch slits around edges of tartlets. Brush edges with egg; sprinkle with raw sugar and almonds.
• Bring grated plums, jam, butter, sugar, and allspice to boil in small saucepan, stirring often. Brush 1/2 tablespoon plum sauce over plums on tartlets. Bake tartlets until golden, about 20 minutes. Serve with ice cream and remaining plum sauce.