Brandy Plum Tart Food

PLUM & MARZIPAN TART TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Melt the butter in a 28cm tart tatin tin over a medium heat on the hob. Tip in the sugar and 1 tbsp water and cook for a few minutes, stirring all the time until lightly browned. If it looks slightly crumbly at this stage don't be put off, it will right itself in the oven. Remove from the heat and put in the plums, cut side up.
• Chop the marzipan into as many chunks as there are plum halves and put a chunk of marzipan in the hole in each plum left by the stone. Sprinkle a small pile of ground almonds over each plum half.
• Roll out the pastry and trim to 3cm larger than the tin all round. Lift the pastry on to the tin and tuck it down between the plums and the inside of the tin. (You can chill the tart ready for baking for up to 24 hours.) Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is risen, crisp and golden. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then place a large flat plate with a rim over the tin. Holding it over the sink in case of drips, carefully invert the tart on to the plate. Some juice from the plums is likely to escape, which is why you need a rim on the plate, but it's delicious, especially when mingled with pouring cream.

BRANDIED PLUMS

Steps:

• Boil a stockpot of water as deep as the shoulder of a 2-quart jar with hinged lid.
• Wash and stem plums. Prick several holes around stem ends. Pack plums in jar. Quarter and pit plums that don't fit in jar and re-pack, placing quartered pieces in gaps that form between whole plums. Add cinnamon stick.
• In a 2-quart saucepan or skillet, bring sugar, salt and 1 cup water to a boil, then turn to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 10 minutes, stir in brandy. Immediately pour the liquid into jar up to 1/2-inch from the rim.
• Partly close jar, to leave gap for steam to escape, and place in pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Carefully remove jar with jar lifter or 2 tongs and close the lid tightly. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

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.)

PLUM TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 9 1/2-by-13 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet (quarter sheet pan) with parchment, leaving a 2-inch over-hang on long sides.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to an approximately 14 1/2-by-11 1/2-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Trim edges so you're left with a 14-by-11-inch rectangle. Fit into sheet (dough should come all the way up sides without an overhang). Freeze 15 minutes.
• Stir together fruit, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt; arrange mixture in tart shell, in a single, slightly overlapping layer (if using a variety of colors of fruit, arrange by color if desired).
• Bake 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375° and continue baking, rotating sheet twice, until fruit is bubbling and pastry is puffed and cooked through, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes (if pastry is browning too quickly, tent with foil; if middle puffs up during baking, remove sheet from oven, use scissors to snip a little hole in puffed-up spot, and return to oven).
• Let cool completely in sheet on a wire rack. Use parchment overhangs to remove before cutting into pieces to serve. Tart can be stored at room temperature, covered loosely with foil, up to 1 day.

BRANDIED PLUM CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush six 5-inch diameter, 1-inch-high ovenproof dishes with 1 tablespoon melted butter; place dishes on rimmed baking sheet. Cook diced plums, 4 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons brandy in medium skillet over medium-high heat until juices bubble thickly, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Cover; cook until plums are just tender, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, divide diced plums among prepared dishes. Add orange juice concentrate to juices in skillet; stir to blend. Pour into 1-cup measuring cup. Add remaining 2 tablespoons brandy, then enough cream to measure 3/4 cup total.
• Whisk 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and flour in large bowl. Whisk in cream mixture, eggs, and remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter. Spoon batter over plums in dishes. Top with plum slices; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake clafoutis until puffed and crusty and center is just set, about 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes and serve warm.

THE BEST PLUM AND ALMOND TART

Steps:

• For the pastry. If using ready-made shortcrust, roll out as thinly as possible and line the tin. If making your own pastry, place flour and sugar in bowl of food processor, cut cold butter into small (1cm approx) cubes and add to dry ingredients. Process briefly until mix resembles breadcrumbs. Tip into bowl, add egg and cold water. Mix with knife until dough comes together. Knead very briefly just to bring mix to a smooth dough, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 mins. (If you don't have a food processor, rub butter into flour until mix resembles breadcrumbs, then proceed as above).
• Remove dough from fridge. If it feels very cold and solid, leave for 10 or 15 minutes at room temperature until it yields a little to your touch. Roll out pastry as thinly as possible and line prepared tin. Reserve excess pastry for another day (you can freeze it - remember to label it sugar dough, not plain!) then return pastry case to fridge for at least half an hour.
• Halve and stone the plums.
• Once pastry has rested for half an hour, pre-heat oven to 190C, remove pastry case from fridge and place plums, cut side up (or other fruit), and evenly distributed, inside pastry case. Mix all filling ingredients together, beat well and pour over plums. Sprinkle over some flaked almonds and a tablespoon of sugar.
• Bake for approximately 35 minutes, turning if necessary, until the filling has risen above the plums and is a lovely deep golden brown. The flaked almonds should have slightly caramelised. If it looks a bit pale, leave for another five minutes and check again - it should be the colour of toffee. You can bake the tart earlier in the day or even the day before, just reheat in a moderate oven for about ten or 15 minutes (or, even better, if the oven has been on for the main course at a hot temperature, just put the tart in the oven when you turn the oven off and it will be perfect for dessert). Serve with thick cream, yoghurt, sour cream or ice cream.

SPICED PLUM TART WITH BRANDY WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, cornstarch, anise seed (if using), cinnamon, ginger and salt. Add plums; gently toss to coat. Let stand 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Unroll pie crust onto lightly floured surface. Roll dough lightly into a 12" circle; fit into a 9" tart pan with removable bottom that has been lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. Press dough against sides of pan, trimming off excess dough.
• Arrange plums cut-side down in single layer, overlapping slightly to cover crust. Drizzle any juices remaining in plum bowl over top. Place tart pan on jellyroll pan.
• Bake in 375 degree oven until bubbly and crust is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour.
• While tart is cooling, prepare brandy whipped cream: In large chilled mixer bowl beat whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon brandy at high speed until soft peaks form. Don't overbeat.
• Remove ring from tart pan and cut tart into wedges. Serve with dollops of brandy whipped cream.

TART TATIN WITH BRANDY CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. Melt the butter in a 20cm tart tatin tin over a medium heat on top of the hob, then stir in the sugar and heat until starting to caramelise. Stir in the cinnamon. Pile in the apples and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and then to coat them in the caramelised juices - the apple juices will ooze out at first but will soon thicken and make a sauce. Remove from the heat.
• Unroll the pastry and prick it all over with a fork. Quickly lay the pastry over the apples. Trim away any excess with scissors, allowing a rim of about 2cm, then tuck the pastry snugly round the apples down the inside of the tin.
• Bake the tin in the middle of the oven for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is risen, firm and golden. For the brandy cream, mix the crème fraîche with the icing sugar and brandy or calvados.When the tart is cooked, leave it to settle in the tin for 5 minutes or so before running the blade of a knife round the edge to dislodge any pastry that has stuck. Invert a plate over the top and turn out the tart, with any juices left in the tin. Serve with the brandy 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.

FRESH PLUM FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out crust dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Gently press dough into tart pan; trim excess. Freeze crust 15 minutes.
• Place tart pan on baking sheet. Bake crust 10 minutes; pierce with toothpick if crust bubbles. Continue to bake until crust is pale golden, about 12 minutes. Cool crust on baking sheet 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• For filling:
• Blend all ingredients except plums in processor until almonds are finely ground. Spread frangipane filling in prepared crust.
• Place plum halves, skin side up, on work surface. Cut 1 plum half into thin parallel slices, keeping plum intact (do not cut through end). Press gently to fan slices. Repeat with remaining plum halves. Place fanned plums, skin side up, atop frangipane; press gently to anchor.
• Bake tart on baking sheet until frangipane is puffed and golden and plums are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove tart from baking sheet; transfer to rack.
• For glaze:
• Stir apricot jam and brandy in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until mixture boils. Strain glaze into small bowl. Brush glaze generously over plums. Cool tart completely. (Tart can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Push pan bottom up to free tart from pan. Cut tart into wedges and serve.

RUSTIC PLUM TART

Steps:

• For crust:
• Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• For topping:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss plums, 4 tablespoons sugar, ginger and cinnamon in bowl. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12 1/2-inch round. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Mix 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in small bowl; sprinkle over dough, leaving 2-inch plain border. Arrange plums in concentric circles on dough, leaving 2-inch plain border; drizzle with melted butter. Fold dough border in toward center. Brush border with egg glaze; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake tart until plums are tender and crust is golden, about 45 minutes.
• Stir preserves in saucepan over low heat until melted. Brush over plums. Cool tart 1 hour on baking sheet. Run long thin knife under tart to loosen. Using 9-inch tart pan bottom, transfer tart to plate; serve at room temperature.

ITALIAN PLUM TART (TARTE AUX QUETSCHES)

Steps:

• To make the crust, pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and butter or margarine together in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade until crumbled. Then add the egg yolk, and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Put the dough in the center of an ungreased 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Dust your fingers with flour, and gently press out the dough to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and bake the crust for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees, and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven, and let cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Mix the jam with the brandy in a small bowl, and spread over the bottom of the crust. Pit the plums, and cut them into four pieces each. Starting at the outside, arrange the plums in a circle so that all the pieces overlap, creating concentric circles that wind into the center of the pan. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and lemon zest.
• Return the tart to the oven, and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the plums are juicy. Remove the tart from the oven, sprinkle on the sugar, and serve warm or at room temperature.

ITALIAN PLUM TART (JOAN NATHAN)

Steps:

• To make the crust, pulse the flour, sugar, and butter or margarine together in a food processor until crumbled. Then add the egg yolk and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Place the dough in the center of a 9-inch pie plate and with your fingers, dusted with flour if needed, pat it out to cover the bottom and up the side. Refrigerate for a half hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and pre bake the crust for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees and bake another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Mix the jam with the brandy in a small bowl and spread over the crust. Peel, pit and cut the plums in four pieces each. Place around in a circle so that each piece of plum overlaps the other and they eventually form a spiral into the center.
• Sprinkle with the cinnamon and lemon rind.
• Reduce the oven to 350 degrees. Return the taste to the oven and bake about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the plums juicy. Remove the tart from the oven, sprinkle on the sugar, and serve.

EASY FREE-FORM PLUM TART

Steps:

• First, make the Sugar Dough: In a food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade, combine the flour and sugar. Add the butter and process until the texture resembles fine meal.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1 Tbs. of the cream. Scrape into the processor and process until a ball begins to form, drizzling in the additional Tbs. of cream, if necessary, to help the dough come together.
• Remove the dough from the machine and, on a lightly floured surface, press down into a circle. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Before assembling the tart, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove the Sugar Dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a rough circle 14 inches in diameter. Lift up the dough and transfer it to a nonstick baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the refrigerator while you prepare the plums.
• In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the plums and sauté just until they begin to soften slightly, about 3 minutes. Gently stir in the sugar and lemon juice.
• Remove from the heat and, if you like, drizzle in the plum brandy. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Spoon the cooled plums into the center of the dough, spreading them evenly and leaving a 2-inch border all around the edge. Fold the edge up over the plums, leaving the fruit in the center of the tart exposed.
• In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Brush the exposed rim of dough with the egg. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.

UPSIDE-DOWN PLUM TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degree. Cut out four 4-inch circles frompuff pastry, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.Freeze for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat butter and sugar in a 12-inch saute panover medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts. Addplums and salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until plums beginto soften, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and addbrandy. Return to heat, and swirl pan until alcohol cooks off,about 1 minute.
• Divide plums, cut sides down, and pan juices among four10-ounce ramekins. Top each with a puff pastry circle, andbake until edges are bubbling and tops are golden, about40 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully turn out intoshallow bowls, and serve each with a dollop of sour cream.