Grandmas Plum And Almond Skillet Jam Food

GRANDMA MONETTE'S CHERRY JAM TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Make the filling: Combine the cherry preserves and lemon juice in a bowl, stirring to break up any clumps.
• Make the crust: Butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed. Add the whole egg, then the vanilla. Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, lemon zest, cinnamon and cloves in a bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in up to 1 tablespoon water until the dough just comes together. Wrap two-thirds of the dough in plastic wrap, then wrap the remaining one-third in plastic wrap. Refrigerate both for 30 minutes.
• Put the larger piece of dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll it out into an 11-inch round. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and invert the dough into the prepared tart pan; peel off the other sheet of parchment paper and trim the excess dough. Spread the jam evenly on the crust. Roll out the remaining dough to about 1/4 inch thick and cut it into 1/2- to 1-inch-wide strips (10 to 14 strips). Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern on top of the filling. Beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water and brush on the lattice and edge of the crust. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Photography by Steve Giralt

DRIED PLUM AND ALMOND PHYLLO TRIANGLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lay a sheet of phyllo on a cutting board with the short part facing you and brush lightly with clarified butter then sprinkle with sugar. Cut into 4 long, even strips.
• Open up each dried plum and place a cube of cream cheese and a toasted almond inside. Place a stuffed dried plum at the end of each strip of phyllo. Fold it up to make a triangle, like folding a flag. Brush the outside with butter and sprinkle with more sugar.
• Repeat with the rest of the phyllo. Bake until light golden brown about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve warm, if possible, sprinkled with powdered sugar.

ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES (SANDWICHED WITH JAM)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine ground almonds and sugar. Blend in butter. Add dry ingredients. Add water and blend well. Shape into a flattened ball. Wrap in parchment and chill at least 1/2 hour. Roll out onto lightly floured board until approximately 1/4-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes, and place on parchment covered baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown. Cool. Sandwich with strained or seedless jam (raspberry is great!) or chocolate ganache.;

PLUM-ROSEMARY JAM

Steps:

• Combine the plums, sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a medium saucepan or Dutch oven. Toss well and let stand until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is juicy, about 20 minutes.
• Wrap the rosemary sprig in a square of cheesecloth; tie closed. Add to the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally and skimming off any foam, until thickened and the fruit is broken down, 30 to 35 minutes. Gently mash any large plum chunks with a potato masher or rubber spatula. Discard the rosemary. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Remove from the heat and let the jam cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
• Transfer the jam to a jar or other airtight container. Refrigerate until cold and fully jelled, at least 2 hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

PLUM JAM

Steps:

• In large non-aluminum kettle, combine plums, water, and lemon juice. Bring mixture to boiling over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, 10 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Mixture should have reduced to about 4 1/2 cups.
• Add sugar and heat mixture to full, rapid boiling over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin; return to full, rapid boiling and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Set aside 1 minute and skim off any foam that has formed.
• Meanwhile, sterilize 8 half-pint jars or jelly glasses and the necessary lids, and bands, according to manufacturer's directions. Divide jam among sterilized jars, leaving 1/8-inch space at top of jar. Wipe rims of jars to remove any jam and seal with lids and bands.
• Process jars in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove jars, label, and store in cool, dry place

DEEP DISH PLUM AND ALMOND PIE

Steps:

• 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 spring form pan to form a thin, even layer (see photo), using waxed paper to smooth. Freeze crust while you prepare the filling.;
• Filling:
• Pulse 1 1/4 cup almonds in a food processor until very finely ground (take care not to over process 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 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 over brown, 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.;
• Make ahead:
• - Pie can be assembled and frozen up to 2 weeks in advance. Bake frozen pie for about 1 1/2 hours. - Baked pie can be tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving.