Summer Plum Tart Recipes

PLUM TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, walnuts, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and the egg yolk. Mix, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until crumbly.
• Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch springform or tart pan. Arrange the plums in the pan, skin side down, to form a flower pattern; begin at the outside and work your way in.
• Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums. Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer the tart to a flat plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SUMMER PLUM TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set a 4 1/2-by-14-inch bottomless tart form on top. Set the baking sheet aside.
• On a clean work surface, roll out pate sucree to a 7 1/2-by-17-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Roll the rectangle onto pin; unroll over form; let extra dough hang over edge. Using knuckles, fit dough into form.
• Crumble almond paste evenly over dough, and sprinkle flour evenly over almond paste. Arrange sliced plums in a fish-scale pattern on top of the dough; sprinkle plums with sugar.
• Fold overhanging dough over plums; tear, creating a 1-inch free-form edge. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator; chill dough 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a small bowl, combine egg yolk and cream; beat lightly. Brush chilled pastry with egg wash.
• Bake until crust is golden brown and fruit bubbles, about 35 minutes. Transfer tart to a wire rack.
• In a small saucepan, combine jam and 2 tablespoons water. Set pan over medium heat, and cook until warm. Remove pan from heat, and pass glaze through a sieve; discard any solids. Brush warm glaze over plums in tart. Let glaze cool slightly, remove tart form, and serve.

OPEN-FACED PLUM TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove pie crust from refrigerator 10 minutes before using to soften slightly. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Unfold pie crust onto baking sheet. Spread fig jam on crust leaving a 2-inch border around the edges. Place plums on top of the jam. Fold edges over leaving the center exposed and press slightly to seal. Brush outside of the pie dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake until dough is cooked through and golden, about 45 minutes.
• Serve warm with ice cream.

COUNTRY-STYLE PLUM TART

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Mix flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water by tablespoonfuls and process just until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on large sheet of floured parchment paper to 1/4-inch-thick round. Trim dough to 14-inch diameter. Transfer dough on parchment paper to large baking sheet (edges of dough may hang over edges of baking sheet).
• Make filling:
• Mix plums, jam, vanilla, and allspice in large bowl. Mound plum mixture in center of dough, leaving 3-inch border. Sprinkle fruit with 2 tablespoons sugar. Fold dough border over fruit, pleating loosely and pinching to seal any cracks. Bush dough with beaten egg. Sprinkle dough with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake tart until crust is brown and filling bubbles, about 45 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to rack and cool tart slightly, about 20 minutes. Slide metal spatula under all sides of crust to free from parchment. Using large tart pan bottom as aid, transfer tart to platter. Serve warm or at room temperature with frozen yogurt.

ORIGINAL PLUM TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
• Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
• Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)

SUGAR PLUM TART

Steps:

• Press dough into a 10-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Trim dough flush with top edge of pan. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart shell with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are golden, about 10 minutes. Remove parchment and weights; continue baking until surface is golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
• Spread frangipane in shell. Arrange plums, cut sides up, on top in concentric circles, pressing gently. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake until golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, dust tart with confectioners' sugar.

FRESH PLUM TART WITH SOUR CREAM TOPPING

Steps:

• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Line heavy large rimless baking sheet with foil. Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured work surface to 14-inch square. Cut off 1-inch-wide strips from each side of square. Brush strips with beaten egg. Place strips atop edges of pastry square, egg side down, pressing to adhere. Trim ends to fit. Transfer pastry square to prepared baking sheet. Combine almonds, 2 tablespoons sugar and flour in small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over bottom of pastry. (Can be made 3 hours ahead. Chill.)
• Place plums in large bowl. Add 4 tablespoons sugar; toss to coat. Arrange plums decoratively over almond mixture.
• Bake tart until pastry is golden brown and puffed and plums are tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to rack. Using metal spatula, loosen tart from baking sheet, leaving tart on sheet.
• Stir preserves and water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until preserves melt. Brush over warm plums.
• Beat cream, sour cream and 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Serve tart warm or at room temperature with sour cream topping.