This Rustic Plum and Almond Cream Tart is an easy and delicious dessert to make at the end of summer, when plums and other stone fruits are at their best! This recipe features a creamy, aromatic, almond base (known as frangipane in Italian), and sweet, juicy, seasonal Honey Plums!
The sweet yet slight tartness of the plums pairs so well with the deep, earthy flavor of ground cardamom, one of my favorite warm spices, which is tossed with the sliced plums before baking. Cardamom-infused plums are a match-made-in-heaven flavor combination and the perfect topping to the frangipane layer.
I am using ready-made puff pastry dough as a base for the tart, which is a great alternative and time saving substitute to regular pie dough. All we need to do is roll out the chilled puff pastry, drape it over a pie plate and fill it with the frangipane and the infused plums.
INGREDIENTS for the Rustic Plum and Almond Cream Tart
To make this easy fruit tart, besides the plums and a few other baking staples, you will need some good quality puff pastry. I like to use Fillo Factory puff pastry for my recipes, which always makes working with it a breeze.
- Puff Pastry: we need only one sheet of good quality puff pastry. I used Fillo Factory organic, Classic Butter Puff Pastry
- Plums: fresh plums are easy to find during the summer and also in the early fall months; if possible choose firm and slightly under-ripe fruit. There are many varieties of plums, choose the one you like the most (I used Honey Plums for this recipe, as they were the most aromatic variety available)
- Cardamom: a wonderful spice which adds a deep, earthy flavor
- Sugar: granulated sugar (both for the fruit and the frangipane)
- Butter: I used salted butter (both for the frangipane and the topping)
- Almond Flour: finely ground almond flour, the key ingredient for this frangipane. I use King Arthur almond flour
- Lemon: just the zest (for the frangipane)
- Egg: one large egg (for the frangipane)
- Almond Extract: highlights the almond flavor of the almond cream
- Raspberry jam/preserves: brush it on the plums at the end of cooking, giving them a lovely shine (you can also use plum or apricot jam if you prefer)
The 3 components of the Rustic Plum and Almond Cream Tart
- The tart shell: one sheet of puff pastry, which is so easy to roll out and fill. It is a great alternative to regular pie dough
- The frangipane: a delicious almond cream base
- The fruit: wedges of plums infused with sugar and cardamom
The addition of a frangipane layer makes this plum tart moist and creamy and it also prevents the puff pastry from becoming soggy. As it bakes it puffs up and gently holds the sliced plums in place!
What is Frangipane?
Frangipane is one of the easiest and most versatile recipes in a baker’s repertoire. To make it, all you ned to do is whisk together softened butter, an egg, sugar, almond flour and almond extract. The result is a delicious, spreadable, and very versatile almond cream that takes only 5 minutes to make and keeps in the refrigerator for one week.
Frangipane is a wonderful layer to add to fruit tarts, jam tarts, galettes and breakfast pastries. It is different from the denser marzipan, which has only almonds and sugar – no eggs and no butter. It is a great filling for croissants, split in half, filled with the cream and baked for a second time!
Steps for the Rustic Plum Almond Cream Tart
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- Wash the plums and let them dry well.
- Cut the plums into wedges, toss them with some sugar and the cardamom, and set aside. Roll out the puff pastry to form the shell for the tart. Place the tart shell in the refrigerator to keep cold.
- To make the frangipane, place all the ingredients for the almond cream base in a small bowl.
- Whisk everything well until smooth, then set aside.
- Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator, spoon the frangipane over the base and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Arrange the sliced plums in small clusters on top of the frangipane base.
- Sprinkle some additional sugar over the fruit and the puff pastry border and dot it with the cold butter pieces.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or, until the crust is nicely browned and well-puffed.
- Allow the plum tart to cool for at least 15 minutes. Then slice it into 6 wedges and serve!
- Wash the plums and let them dry well.
Tips for Working with Puff Pastry
- Keep your puff pastry very cold: the thawed puff pastry is ready to use when pliable enough to work with it. Do not let it come to room temperature, however, or it will become harder to work with
- Use a very hot oven: preheat the oven to 400°F – 425°F. Puff pastry will not puff properly at a lower temperature
- Roll it out gently: when rolling out the dough, start from the middle and do not press too much on the dough so you do not compress it
- Chill again: once the tart shell is formed, return the crust to the refrigerator to chill the puff pastry before baking.
How to make ahead and how to store
Make ahead: the Rustic Plum and Almond Cream Tart can be baked up to 5 hours ahead of serving time. Store it uncovered and at room temperature.
Storing: any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat: preheat the oven to 300°F. Put the tart in an oven-safe dish and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or, until heated through.
This recipe is in collaboration with Fillo Factory. You can find organic puff pastry and filo dough at Whole Foods, Fresh Market and several other local stores. I love the quality of the Fillo Factory products and I always make sure to stash a couple of boxes in the freezer!
- For the tart shell:
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions (I used Fillo Factory Organic Puff Pastry)
- For the frangipane:
- 2 TBSP. granulated sugar
- 2 TBSP. butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 tsp. lemon zest
- 2 tsp. almond extract
- For the fruit filling:
- 1½ lbs. red plums, halved and pitted
- 3 TBSP. sugar (divided)
- ½ tsp. freshly ground cardamom
- 2 TBSPS. cold butter, cut into small pieces
- For the glaze:
- 2 TBSP. seedless raspberry preserves, warmed (you can use plum or apricot jam instead)
- Prepare the puff pastry: remove the defrosted puff pastry from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for just a few minutes until it is pliable enough to work with (it should not come to room temperature).
- Preheat the oven: turn on the oven to 425°F.
- Prepare the fruit: wash the plums and dry them well. Pit the plums and then cut into quarter-inch-thick wedges. Toss with 2 TBSP. of the sugar and the cardamom and set aside.
- Roll out the puff pastry: unroll the still cold puff pastry and place it on a lightly floured surface. Return the remaining puff pastry dough to the refrigerator or the freezer. Sprinkle some AP flour on the top of the puff pastry and lightly roll it out with a rolling pin, starting from the middle of the dough, to form an 11-inch square. Try not to press too much on the dough, as it might compress the layers of the puff pastry. (Tip: I often roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper - this will keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin.)
- Form the puff pastry base: carefully lift and transfer the puff pastry onto a piece of parchment paper. Lift the parchment paper with the puff pastry and position it in the middle of a 9" tart pan. Cut and remove the excess corner pieces and then fold the rest of the overhanging dough inward. Lightly press the dough to achieve the same thickness around the pie dish and to form a uniform edge. Prick the base with a fork and chill in the refrigerator, while you make the almond cream. Keeping the dough very cold will help it puff up nicely and prevent it from shrinking when it bakes.
- Make the frangipane: in a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the almond cream base.
- Layer the frangipane: remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator and spoon the frangipane over the base; spread it evenly by using an offset spatula.
- Top with the plums: arrange the plums in small clusters (or, in any pattern you like) on top of the frangipane base. Sprinkle the remaining 1 TBSP. of sugar over the fruit and lightly over the puff pastry border. Top with the 2 TBSP of cold butter cut into small pieces.
- Bake: place the tart on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or, until the crust is nicely browned and well-puffed. Keep an eye on it, as every oven bakes at a slightly different temperature. Brush the plums with the warm glaze, as soon as the tart comes out of the oven. This will give them a nice shine.
- Serve: place the tart on a wire rack for about 15 minutes to allow it to cool. Then slice it and serve with a nice cup of good, brewed coffee. You can also serve it with a dollop of crème fraîche or, a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream!
-- If the plums you are using are not sweet enough, you can add one more tablespoon of sugar to the mixture of sugar and cardamom.
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