Once the weather starts to turn to fall I think of this plum tart. A rich buttery crust, rum-spiked almond filling and packed with purple plums. Don't let this pretty dessert intimidate you! This stunning tart is relatively simple to make, with a few basic ingredients and fresh plums this plum almond tart comes together in just about an hour. And the colours, so warm and cozy. Serve this fall tart warm or room temperature with a little ice cream or whipped cream.
Looking for more fall desserts? try this Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake or my favourite Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake
This recipe originally appeared on the blog in 2010, I've updated the post with fresh photos and more detailed instructions.
There are not a lot of plum desserts out there, which is such a shame, plums are sweet and jammy and they make the prettiest desserts. Rich purple plums will cook down into a ruby red sweetness, and this plum almond tart showcases the virtues of plums just perfectly.
Flavours
The flavours in this plum almond tart are simple, so use the freshest ingredients.
Good quality and fresh butter
Clean fresh almonds, skinned is best
And if you are using it, a good dark rum.
Rum adds a nice richness to this tart. Amaretto is also very nice, and maybe a bit more traditional. And obviously, amaretto will highlight the almond flavour. Rum on the other hand goes so nicely with the plums.
If you prefer to skip the alcohol altogether add an equal amount of water to ensure the filling is the proper consistency.
The buttery crust
This is a soft buttery crust made with an egg yolk to keep it delicate and rich. The dough is made in a food processor and comes together quickly.
Gently pulse cold butter with flour and icing sugar until you have a sandy texture.
The dough does not need to be refrigerated before rolling. It is a delicate and soft pastry. Be prepared the pastry will most certainly tear as you try to move it into the tart pan, but can easily be repaired. It is a very forgiving dough.
Roll dough on a well floured work surface. Roll dough about an inch wider than the size of your tart pan. For a 10 inch tart pan, roll dough to 11 inches.
For easier rolling be sure to flour your work surface and the rolling pin well.
Make-ahead tip: if you want to make something ahead it does not hurt to make the dough the day before and roll it out just before you are ready to assemble the tart. You could even roll the dough and fill the part pan ahead of time.
Be sure to use a traditional tart pan with a removable bottom, I use this one.
The almond filling
The filling is made with sliced almonds, sugar, 2 eggs and rum.
You can use Amaretto instead of rum or skip the alcohol altogether. If you prefer not to use alcohol, use ¼ cup of water in place of the ¼ cup rum as written in the recipe.
The filling is made in the food processor as well. Don't even bother to clean out the food processor after making the crust. The filling uses many of the same ingredients as the crust, so save yourself some clean-up and just continue on with the filling.
The filling is made by processing sliced or slivered almonds with sugar, rum, butter and flour until you have a crumbly paste. Then you add in the eggs, pulsing a few times to combine. That's it. Don't over process once the eggs are added.
Pour filling into the prepared tart shell and smooth to fill the tart shell evenly with a spatula.
The plums
Use purple or red plums for the best colour.
Slice the plums thinly so that you have pretty half-moons, with an edge of purple or red skin on the outer side of each slice.
Lay the plums on top of the almond filling. I like to start with the outer edge, making an over-lapping circle of plum slices. Then start another circle inside of this first one.
Be generous with the plums. They should over-lap and cover the top completely.
Baking and serving
Bake this tart at 400 degrees for about 40-45 minutes.
The tart is finished when the filling has bubbled up between the plums slightly and is completely golden brown. The tart crust should be golden brown as well.
Allow the tart to cool completely to room temperature before serving.
Just before serving dust with icing sugar and toasted sliced almonds.
This plum tart will keep at room temperature for 2 days. Cover only once it is fully cooled.
Recipe Notes
DON'T bother clean the food processor between making the crust and the filling. Save yourself a few minutes. The filling uses some of the same ingredients as the crust.
I like rum best in the filling, I think rum highlights plums nicely. Amaretto can be used and really bring out the almond flavour. If you want to skip alcohol completely, or just don't have any on hand, add a bit of almond extract or vanilla extract and an equal amount of water to replace the rum.
DON"T use ground almonds or almond flour in this recipe. You want to use sliced or slivered almonds and allow the food processor to do some of the work. You want some texture to the filling.
DON'T peel the plums! Don't even think about it. You want the deep red and purple from the peel in the tart.
Plum Almond Tart
Required equipment
- 10" or 11" tart pan with removable bottom
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup cold butter cut into small pieces
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoon water
Filling
- 1 ½ cups sliced or slivered almonds use blanched almonds for lighter filling
- ¾ cups sugar
- ¼ cup butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoon flour
- ¼ cup rum or Amaretto liqueur, or water if you prefer not to use alcohol
- 2 eggs
- 4-5 purple plums pitted and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon butter cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoon white sugar
- icing sugar and toasted almond slices for serving
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to mix. Add butter and process until small pea-sized pieces form. With processor running add egg yolk and gradually add ice water. Process until a dough forms and begins to come together and can be pressed into a ball. Press into a thin disk and roll out to a 12" round. Place over a 10" or 11" tart pan. Press pastry up the sides of the tart pan and then remove excess. Set aside.
- In a food process mix almonds, sugar, butter, flour and rum. Pulse until well mixed and almonds are finely ground. Add eggs and process for another 10 seconds. Spread mixture in an even layer on top of pastry crust in tart shell.
- Arrange plum slices in overlapping circles on filling. Fit the slices together tightly. They will peek out from under the filling once baked. The more the better. Cover the entire surface. Dot with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until filling is evenly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar and toasted sliced almonds. Serve a room temperature.
Leave a reply: