Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Sweet Pastry (Pate Sucree)
- 160 g plain flour
- 50 g icing sugar
- 1 g salt
- 80 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 egg yolk
- 15 ml cold water
Frangipane Filling
- 100 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 100 g caster sugar
- 2 egg, room temperature
- 100 g almond meal
- 20 g plain flour
- 2 ml almond extract
- 1 g salt
Fruit Topping and Glaze
- 400 g plums, halved, pitted, and cut into thick wedges
- 50 g apricot jam
- 15 ml water
- 20 g flaked almonds
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the plain flour, icing sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the egg yolk and cold water, pulsing just until the dough begins to clump together.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface, bring it together into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour to rest the gluten and firm the butter.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to a 3mm thickness. Carefully lift and line the tart tin, pressing gently into the fluted edges. Prick the base lightly with a fork, trim the overhang, and chill the lined tin for a further 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190C (375F). Line the chilled tart shell with baking paper and fill with baking beans or pie weights. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5-8 minutes until the base is pale golden and feels dry to the touch. Let cool slightly.
While the tart shell cools, prepare the frangipane. Using a mixer, cream the room temperature butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the almond extract.
Fold the almond meal, plain flour, and salt into the creamed butter mixture until just combined and a smooth, thick paste forms.
Spread the frangipane evenly into the blind-baked tart shell. Arrange the plum wedges in a circular pattern over the frangipane, pressing them down very lightly. Sprinkle the flaked almonds around the edges if using.
Lower the oven temperature to 180C (350F). Bake the assembled tart for 40-45 minutes. The frangipane should puff up around the plums and turn a deep golden brown.
In a small saucepan, warm the apricot jam and water until liquid, then pass through a sieve if there are large chunks. Brush the warm glaze generously over the hot tart immediately after removing it from the oven.
Allow the tart to cool in the tin for 20 minutes before carefully removing the outer ring. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure all ingredients for the frangipane, especially butter and eggs, are strictly at room temperature to prevent the emulsion from splitting.
- Blind baking the tart shell is an essential step. The frangipane and fresh plums introduce significant moisture, and without a sealed, pre-baked crust, you risk a soggy bottom.
- Choose plums that are ripe but still hold their shape. Overripe fruit will release excessive water into the frangipane, altering the baking time and compromising the texture.
- When arranging the plums, press them only lightly onto the surface. The almond cream will rise significantly during baking and will naturally envelop the fruit.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store loosely covered to maintain pastry texture.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze well-wrapped once fully cooled. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat gently in an oven at 150C (300F) for 10 minutes to restore the crispness of the pastry.
