Rustic Plum Tart

I think by now you all know that plums hold a very special place in my affections.

They, quite simply are my favourite fruit, but only when they are in season . . . to buy them any other time of year simply doesn't do the fruit any justice, that is unless you are talking about French Pluots . . . those I could eat any time of the year, all ripe and sweet and juicy.



We do have lovely purple plum trees, right here on the Estate, just dripping with those purple-hued jewels, and begging to be made into jams, chutney's, cakes . . . tarts . . .



What could be better on a lazy warm summer Sunday afternoon, than a perfectly baked, rustic plum tart, served warm with lashings of extra thick spooning cream . . .



It doesn't get any better than this . . . ahhh . . . this is my bliss . . .


*Rustic Plum Tart*
Makes one 7 by 11 inch tart
Printable Recipe

I love anything rustic and fuss free. That's why I love this tart so much. Using purchased pastry and a few additional ingredients, you can have a delicious plum tart cooling, ready to be eaten in less than an hour. I love the marzipan that lies like a tasty secret underneath the plums. This will have them coming back for more.

1 package of ready rolled short crust pastry, all butter, thawed if frozen
3 TBS golden marzipan, cut into pieces
1 TBS plain flour
half a dozen or so purple plums, pitted and cut into thin wedges
2 tsp golden caster sugar
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup plum or red currant jam
2 TBS water



Pre-heat the oven to 190*C/375*F. Unroll your pastry and use it to line a 7 by 11 inch baking tin, allowing the excess to overhang. Sprinkle the bits of marzipan evenly over the bottom of the crust. Sprinkle with the flour. Arrange the sliced plums over top of the flour and marzipan, in overlapping rows. Sprinkle with the 2 tsp of sugar. Fold the overhang over the plums, creating a 1 inch free form ragged edge. Sprinkle the edges with the granulated sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the fruit bubbles, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool. In a small saucepan, combine the jam and water. Heat over medium heat until warm. Remove from the heat and pass through a sieve, discarding any solids. Brush the warm glaze over the plums in the tart. Allow to cool slightly, before cutting into slices to serve.