Plum Almond Tart

I don't even know where to start. This tart is so unbelievably good, my very limited writing skills couldn't possibly do it justice. Let's forget for a minute that the plum-almond flavor combination is out of this world because first I need to acknowledge the crust. Oh, the crust. It just might be the best crust I've ever eaten in my life (and I've had plenty, believe me). Plus it rolls out like a dream and only needs 15 minutes to rest in the freezer. It literally melts in your mouth. Melts! Am I getting through to you? Because this is important.

Okay, onto the filling. Like I said, the blend of juicy plum and almond is sensational. As a matter of fact, my plum hating husband (okay, that might be overstating it--while he has no interest in plums, I've never actually heard him bad mouth them)...anyway, my husband ate a piece of this while I was out of the room and when I returned he said simply "that's one amazing tart." Nough said (apparently e's are for douchenuggets).

PLUM ALMOND TART

Serves 6

crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons ice water

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

filling:

1/3 cup whole almonds (or 2 oz. almond flour)

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

4 teaspoons framboise (raspberry liqueur) or brandy

12 oz. ripe red-skinned plums, pitted and cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges

1/4 cup red currant jelly (or seedless raspberry jam)

whipped cream (optional)

Crust:

1.      Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix 2 tablespoons ice water and vanilla in small bowl. Pour water mixture over dough. Process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Roll out on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold overhang in and press, forming double-thick sides. Using fork, pierce dough all over. Freeze 15 minutes.

2.      Bake crust until pale golden, about 30 minutes (crust may shrink slightly). Cool on rack. Maintain oven temperature.

Filling:

3.      Finely grind almonds with sugar in processor (if using almond flour, just pulse a few times to blend). Add egg, butter and 2 teaspoons framboise. Process until batter forms. Pour filling into crust. Arrange plums atop filling. Bake until plums are tender and filling is golden and set, about 50 minutes.

4.      Melt jelly with remaining 2 teaspoons of the framboise in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat. Brush jelly mixture over plums. Cool tart. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream, if desired.

barely adapted from Bon Appétit, October 1998

flour, sugar and salt with butter added

water/vanilla mixture added

dough disk

dough rolled

pressing dough into the pan

ready to bake (don't forget to prick the bottom with a fork,
that allows steam to escape and keeps the dough from bubbling up).

almonds and sugar

You can use blanched almonds if you prefer,
but all I had were these and I didn't feel like
blanching them (and obviously it worked just fine)

finely ground

adding the egg, butter and framboise

almond cream ready

lovely plums

crust baked

I thought for sure this crust would bubble up without using some
kind of pie weights, but it didn't. This crust is like some kind of
super-crust I've never seen before (it might be from Krypton).

crust filled with almond cream

plums arranged

tart baked

red currant jelly with framboise

If you don't have red currant jelly, use seedless raspberry jam
(my favorite is Polaner All-Fruit, it has just the right consistency).

melted

glazing the tart

glazed plum almond tart

.