Fresh Plum Flan Food

PLUM TART

Steps:

• How To Make The Crust:
• In a food processor: Mix flour, sugar and salt together and place in the food processor. Add cold butter cut into small cubes and pulse a few times until you obtain a mixture that resembles sand or bread crumbs. Do not overmix. Add lemon zest, vanilla extract, the egg and water, one tablespoon at a time pulsing a few times until the mixture holds together.
• By hand: Mix flour, sugar and salt together, then cut the cold butter into small cubes and add it to the flour. Use a pastry tool to incorporate the butter into the flour, or use your fingertips. You should have a mixture that resembles sand or bread crumbs. Add lemon zest, vanilla extract, the egg and water, one tablespoon at a time until the mixture holds together.
• Make the dough into a disk, wrap it and place it in the refrigerator for an hour.
• Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
• How To Make The Plum Layer:
• Slice the plums in half and remove the stone, then cut each half into 4-5 slices. If you can't remove the stone, just carefully cut around it.
• Set aside.
• How To Make The Custard:
• Mix flour, sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Separately beat together the egg with milk and sour cream. Pour the liquid over the flour mixture and mix well. Set aside.
• How To Assemble The Plum Tart:
• Butter the bottom of a 9 inch pie or tart pan.
• Lightly dust your work surface with flour.
• Roll out dough on floured board to a 12 inch size. This will fit in a 9 inch pan. Trim away excess.
• Sprinkle walnuts on the dough.
• Arrange the slices of plums in circle.
• Pour over the plums the custard mixture. Add the little cubes of butter on top of the tart.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes until the pastry is golden, the fruit tender and the custard set.

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.

RUSTIC GINGER PLUM TART

Steps:

• For the dough: Combine the flour, salt and butter in a large bowl. Using a bench scraper or pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is pea-sized. Slowly add the ice water, folding it into the flour until a dough comes together, being mindful not to overwork it. (If the dough is too dry, add another tablespoon of ice water at a time.) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and form it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 1/8-inch-thick circle. Then roll it up onto the rolling pin and gently lay it out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• For the filling: In the center of the rolled out dough, add the plums and sprinkle them with the brown sugar, ginger, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, flour and butter. Fold the edges of the dough over to create a rough border; it doesn¿t have to be perfect, just good enough to form a wall. Brush the edges with milk and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
• Bake until the filling is bubbling and thickened, and the crust is golden brown, 45 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

ITALIAN PLUM TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a sheet pan. Place the plums, tapioca, creme de cassis, and 3/4 cup of the sugar in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and remaining 1 cup of sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until it forms small, dry crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of cold water and continue to beat for about 30 seconds, until the mixture forms large, moist crumbs. Set aside 3/4 cup of the crumb mixture and pour the rest into the springform pan. With floured hands, lightly pat the dough evenly in the bottom of the pan and 1 inch up the sides. Arrange the plums in concentric circles on the crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly on top. Bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the crust is golden. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.

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.

PLUM TARTS

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Combine flour, butter, sugar, salt, and zest in a food processor and pulse until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Add yolks and process just until incorporated and mixture begins to clump.
• Turn mixture out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. Smear each portion once with heel of your hand in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather together 2 portions of dough and form into a ball; make another ball with other 2 portions.
• Pat out each ball of dough with floured fingertips into a tart pan, in an even 1/4-inch layer on bottom and up sides (about 1/8 inch above rim). Chill 30 minutes, or until firm.
• Make filling while shells chill:
• Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add plums and lemon juice and toss to coat. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes, or until juicy.
• Assemble and bake tarts:
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Arrange plum halves, skin sides down, in tart shells, overlapping in a rosette pattern (see photo, opposite). Halve any remaining plums lengthwise and randomly tuck in between plum halves in tarts. Pour all juices from bowl over plums.
• Bake tarts in middle of oven 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375°F. Cover tarts loosely with foil and bake until plums are tender and juices are bubbling and slightly thickened, 40 to 50 minutes more. Brush warm juices in tart over plums. (Juices will continue to thicken as tarts cool.) Cool tarts completely in pans on a rack.

SOUR CREAM AND PLUM FLAN

Steps:

• Make the shortcrust pastry: sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter cut into small pieces until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and mix to a dough. Chill for 15 minutes before using to line a 24cm flan tin.
• Preheat your oven to 200°C.
• Mix the filling ingredients together.
• Place the plums cut side up onto the flan case. Pour the filling on top.
• Put into the oven for 20 minutes.
• Mix the demerara sugar and the mixed spice and sprinkle onto the flan. Put the flan back in the oven at 230°C for another 20 minutes until golden on top.
• Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving or serve cold with vanilla ice-cream.

PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a 2 quart baking dish, stir together plums, 1 cup sugar, water, tapioca and cinnamon. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. (You can also cook the plum mixture in the microwave for 15 minutes.)
• Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, stir together baking mix, 3 tablespoons sugar, milk and melted margarine to form a biscuit dough. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto plum mixture. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.

TINY TIM'S PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease an 8-cup pudding mold, metal gelatin mold or ovenproof bowl; set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mix bread crumbs, flour, orange zest, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in plums, dates, raisins, carrots and currants., Transfer to prepared pudding mold. Cover tightly with heavy-duty foil; tie foil with kitchen string to secure., Place on a rack in a stockpot; add 3 in. hot water to pot. Bring water to a gentle boil; steam cake, covered, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 2 to 2-1/2 hours, adding more water to pot as needed. Remove pudding from pot; let stand 5 minutes before unmolding., Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat hard sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy. Unmold pudding onto a serving plate; serve warm with sauce.

SUPERB ENGLISH PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Blend the fruits, citron, peel, spices and suet and place in a bowl or jar. Add 1/4 cup cognac, cover tightly and refrigerate for 4 days, adding 1/4 cup cognac each day.
• Soak the bread crumbs in milk and sherry or port. Combine the well-beaten eggs and sugar. Blend with the fruit mixture. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Put the pudding in buttered bowls or tins, filling them about 2/3 full. Cover with foil and tie it firmly. Steam for 6-7 hours. Uncover and place in a 250°F. oven for 30 minutes. Add a dash of cognac to each pudding, cover with foil and keep in a cool place.
• To use, steam again for 2-3 hours and unmold. Sprinkle with sugar; add heated cognac. Ignite and bring to the table. Serve with hard sauce or cognac sauce.