Plum Tart

Fresh Fig or Plum Tart with an Almond Cream

It is wonderful to put a dessert together at the drop of a hat.
With an almond cream that can be prepared in advance, this dessert takes just 5 minutes to assemble and can be ready to enjoy in 35 minutes!

You can make it with a crust and call it a tart or prepare the same with a flaky pastry and call it a pie. Either way, it's delicious.

Trivia: The difference between a pie and a tart is the crust. The type of dish used for baking, the filling's depth, and whether the top is covered or left open. It can be a combination with a little of both!

Makes one 23 cm/9-inch tart
Preheat the oven to 200°C | 400°F.

3 firm plums or 10 figs cut in half

1 pastry sheet, rolled out

Slice the plums, toss with 1 tablespoon of sugar, and keep aside—you do not need to do this with figs.

In a pie pan, place a rolled-out sheet of puff pastry. Sprinkle it with a teaspoon of brown sugar crystals.

Press down on one part of the almond cream. It should be chilled but not frozen. Press it down with the back of the spoon, spreading it all over.

Place the plums or figs all over the top of the tart. Sprinkle with another teaspoon of brown sugar crystals.

Bake for 22 minutes, turn the oven off, and allow it to rest in the warm oven for 10 minutes. Remove and serve it right away.

Tips

While it is delicious on its own, you can serve it with whipped cream, creme` anglaise, vanilla bean ice cream, or a custard if you prefer.

Like all puff pastry, it tastes best when fresh and cannot be reheated.

Almond Cream  (makes enough for 3 tarts)

250 g/ 8 oz butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 cups almond flour 
2 tbsp corn flour
9 egg yolks, beaten with a fork
1 tbsp rum
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Cream the butter well. Add the sugar and beat until light. Add the almond meal and corn flour and mix it well. Lower the speed, and add the beaten egg yolks with the rum and vanilla.

Divide into three equal parts and freeze any leftovers.

 

Tips

Alternatively, try 2 cups of ground pistachios, unsalted.

Finely ground almonds can be used instead of the flour.

   

Sweet short crust pastry 

4oz / 113 gm soft salted butter
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup flour
pinch of salt

In a food processor, beat the butter and icing sugar until light. 
Add in the yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix well. 

Now add the flour and salt; using the pulse button, allow it to become a soft ball. 

Overturn the dough on a rolling surface and allow it to rest for 30 minutes, preferably covered. 
If it is too soft and sticky, refrigerate it for 30 minutes wrapped up tightly in cling film. 

Preheat the oven to 180 C | 350 F
Roll it out in a 9 or 10 inch pie plate. Prick it all over. 

Bake until slightly golden brown, approximately 15 to 22 minutes. Cool.                                             

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Photo Courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala