Plum Tart

Plum tarts are an English delicacy. They are beautiful and delicious. They are sweet and tart. These are one of hardest, but most gratifying baked goods.

Makes: 1 single 9 inch tart

Takes about: 4 hours

Difficulty: 4 out of 5

Prep:

Butter the 9 inch tart pan very well because this is the only way your shell will come off easily.

Also, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Ingredients:

Filling

1/3 cup plus 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

24 ounces of plums (each plum 1 ounce each, or 12 plums 2 ounces each, or 6 plums 4 ounce each)

Tart Shell

4 ounces unsalted butter - cold and cubed

1 large egg yolk - the egg white will not be used

2 teaspoons lemon zest - packed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

The Glue

2 tablespoons raspberry preserves

Instructions:

Filling

- Step 1 - Mix The Filling

The plumbs need to be about the same size.

They then need to be pitted and then cut into thin slices.

In a large bowl, mix together 1/3 cup plus 1/2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest and the plum slices.

- Step 2 - Refrigerate

Place the plum mixture into the refrigerator for about 3 hours or overnight.

Tart Shell

- Step 3 - Start the Tart Shell

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg yolk, 2 teaspoons of packed lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and set aside.

- Step 4 - Cut the Butter

Cub the 4 ounces of butter and place them back in the fridge until needed.

- Step 5 - Flour and Butter

In a food processor, combine 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons of flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt until blended.

Once blended, add the cubed butter to the flour mixture in the food processor and mix until crumbly. Don't over mix, just mix until well blended.

This can also be blended with a fork, but it takes a lot of work and you have to be careful not to melt the butter.

- Step 6 - Finish the Shell

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour mixture and the egg mixture until well combined.

It should be super crumbly, but it will form together once pinched together.

- Step 7 - Make the Shell

Press the crust firmly into the tart pan until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

Use a measuring cup or anther flat object to flatten the bottom of the crust and sides until flat.

All ends should be the same thickness.

- Step 8 - Blind Bake the Shell

Butter one side of a piece of parchment paper and lay the butter side down over the tart.

Then pour dried beans or pie weights into the middle of the tart until completely filled.

- Step 9 - Bake

Bake the shell on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Once baked, pull the tart out of the oven and remove the beans from the tart.

- Step 10 - Bake Again

Reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F and place the tart shell back in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes - just until browned.

Let the tart cool for 20 minutes while putting together the filling.

- Step 11 - Strain the Plums

Strain the juice that has developed in the plum mixture directly into a small/medium sauce pan and simmer on medium heat.

Set the plum pieces off to the side until needed in step 14.

Once the juice starts to simmer, turn the temperature on low and stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes or until it thickens.

Once the mixture has thickened, turn the stove off and set the juice off to the side. This will be the filling for the tart.

- Step 12 - Warm the Preservatives

In a small saucepan, warm 2 tablespoons of raspberry preserves on low heat until it starts to thin.

Once the preservatives have thinned, pull the preserves off the stove.

- Step 13 - Brush the Pastry Shell

Spoon the warmed preserves into the shell and spread it around until completely coated.

- Step 14 - Pour Thickened Plum Filling in Shell

Pour the thickened plum juice from step 11 into the tart shell until about 1/4 inch filled.

There might not be any or a lot of juice left and that is okay.

- Step 15 - Start to Fill the Tart

Place the plum pieces cut side down into the tart.

Keep laying the plum pieces cut side down all the way around the outside of the shell.

Once the first layer is done, start the second layer half way in from the first layer.

Then place another layer of plums half way in the second layer.

If you can fit another, row than add another layer. But, if you can't add another row, add as many plums into the tart until nicely filled.

- Step 16 - If you Still Have Plum Juice

If there is still plum juice left, add the juice to the tart until either full or until the plums are covered.

- Step 17 - Bake

Bake the tart in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until the plums have darkened and the tart has bubbled slightly.

- Step 18 - Cool the Tart

Let the tart cook on the counter for about two hours or more before removing the shell.

- Step 19 - Remove the Shell

By grabbing the side of the tart pan, place the tart into a short rounded object, so that the side of the pan can easily be pulled down and away from the tart.

This tart recipe was found on "FineCooking" and is really great. Super simple to follow, but I did change the size of my plums and I also used different preserves and changed a few other small things.