Plum Tart With Almond Pastry Crust Food

PLUM ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Combine butter or oil, confectioners' sugar, salt and vanilla bean seeds in a stand mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more. Scrape down sides of bowl, add the egg and then the flour, and continue mixing until smooth. Remove dough from the bowl, wrap in plastic and refrigerate, about 1 hour, or until firm.
• Make the almond filling: Grind together the blanched almonds and flour in a food processor until they form a textured almond flour.
• Combine butter or oil, confectioners' sugar and salt in a stand mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more. Scrape down sides of bowl, add egg and egg yolk, and continue mixing until mixture comes together and is homogeneous, about 2 minutes. Add almond mixture all at once, and mix until batter just comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and set aside for 10 minutes. Knead dough to loosen it, then pat together into a ball again. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12- to 13-inch round using a floured rolling pin. Quickly transfer dough to an 11-inch pie plate or tart shell, trimming the edges as needed. Place the lined shell in the freezer until frozen.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove shell from the freezer, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake crust for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to color. Remove the weights and bake 5 minutes longer. Cool completely.
• While the crust cools, cut plums into 1/4-inch wedges.
• Using an offset spatula, spread cooled tart shell with the almond cream. Starting at the outside of the pan, arrange plums in a circle on top so all the pieces overlap. Turn plums the opposite way for the second circle. Fill the center with the remaining plums or another fruit if you wish.
• Sprinkle a few pinches of turbinado sugar over plums and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until almond cream is puffed and golden brown and the plums are softened.

PLUM TART WITH ALMOND PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• For the filling:
• Fill a large stockpot halfway with water and bring to a boil.
• While water is boiling, take a paring knife and cut a 1/2-inch X on the bottom of each plum. Set aside.
• Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside.
• When water is boiling, gently drop plums into water for 30 to 45 seconds.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately submerge in ice water for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove and dry plums gently with a paper towel.
• Over a medium-sized bowl, remove skins from plums - they should slip off fairly easily.
• Slice plums in half and remove pits.
• Toss with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice and set aside.
• For the crust:
• Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
• Grind the almonds in a food processor until they are a fine crumb.
• Add the pastry flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar to the almond in the processor and pulse 5 times to incorporate.
• Add butter and oil and pulse for about 20 seconds, until mixture forms small clumps.
• Add the egg white and pulse an additional 20 to 30 times, until mixture forms a ball, being sure not to over-process.
• Dough will hold together, but be slightly sticky.
• Evenly press dough into the bottom and sides a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable bottom.
• Bake for 8 to10 minutes, or until surface of tart is no longer shiny.
• Remove from oven and let cool.
• Place tart shell on a cookie sheet.
• Toss plum halves in their own juices in bowl.
• Arrange plums, cut-side down, in the tart shell, crowding as many plums as you can into tart.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fruit is slightly tender but still firm.
• Remove from the oven and let cool.
• For the glaze:
• Heat preserves over a low flame or in microwave until melted.
• Combine with water and brush surface of tart.

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.

PLUM ALMOND TART WITH PLUM COMPOTE

Steps:

• To make the crust, place the almonds in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Place in a bowl and toss with the flour. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the egg, lemon zest and salt. Add the flour mixture and begin mixing on low speed; then raise the speed just until the flour is incorporated.
• Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a ball. Flatten, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 piece into a 5 1/2-inch circle (the dough breaks easily but can be pressed back together). Use a 5-inch round (cup, plate or cardboard) as a guide to cut the dough into a 5-inch circle. With a wide spatula, transfer to 1 of the baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the circles 2 inches apart. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the crusts until lightly golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• To make the filling, place the whole almonds and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a food processor and pulse until ground. Place in a bowl and stir in the 1/2 cup of sugar, eggs and lemon zest. Set aside.
• Halve and pit the plums. Cut each half into 5 or 6 thin wedges. Spread the filling over the crusts, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange the plums in a circular pattern over the filling. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and a few sliced almonds over each tart. Bake until the plums are lightly caramelized, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to make the compote, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean. Place the pod and seeds in a small saucepan with the plums and sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the compote is thick, about 20 minutes. Keep warm.
• To serve, place a warm tart on each of 8 plates and surround with the warm compote.

GERMAN PLUM TART

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and 3 tablespoons sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk. Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until mixture forms a soft dough. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-in. pie plate., Arrange plums, skin side up with edges overlapping, in crust; sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit is tender.

PLUM & ALMOND PASTRY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Line a very large rectangular baking sheet with baking parchment. Unravel the roll of pastry and carefully lift on top. Sprinkle over the ground almonds and scatter the plums to make an even layer. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds, then the sugar.
• Bake for 18-20 mins until the pastry is golden and the plums are tender. Allow to stand for 10 mins to cool a little, then sprinkle with a little more sugar and serve.

PLUM AND ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Sift flour into bowl, cut in butter, add egg yolk and enough water to mix to a dry dough.
• Turn onto lightly floured surface, knead lightly until smooth, cover, refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Roll pastry large enough to line a 9-inch flan pan, refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile halve and seed plums, drain on absorbent paper.
• Combine almonds, sugar, lemon rind and egg in bowl, mix to a paste.
• Combine extra sugar and cinnamon thoroughly.
• Spread almond mixture into pastry case, top with plums, dot with butter, sprinkle with sugar mixture.
• Bake in 375°F oven about 50 minutes or until golden brown.
• Dust with powdered sugar, serve warm or cold with shipped cream and sliced almonds.

PLUM ALMOND TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make pastry dough:
• Blend together flour, salt, butter, and shortening with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork until incorporated. Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork, or pastry will be tough.)
• Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion. Gather dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and press into a ball, then flatten into a 6-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Macerate plums while dough chills:
• Toss plums with 2 tablespoons sugar in a bowl and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
• Prepare filling and make tartlets:
• Pulse almonds with flour, salt, and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a food processor until very finely chopped, then add butter, egg, and Amaretto (if using), pulsing until just blended.
• Roll out dough into a 15-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Cut out 6 (5-inch) rounds and fit each round into a tartlet pan (don't trim). Prick bottoms all over with a fork and chill shells until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
• Drain plums, discarding juices. Divide almond filling among tartlet shells and arrange plums over it. Put pans on a baking sheet and bake until crust and filling are golden and plums are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool tartlets completely in pans on a rack before unmolding. Just before serving, dust with confectioners sugar.

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.