Plum Crumble Tart

Not sure why I did it . . . I really should have known better, but . . . the other day when I was in the grocery store, I succumbed to temptation and purchased two punnets of red plums, simply because they were on offer for £1.



Todd and I love red plums . . . so sweet and juicy. These were not, of course, and even a few days of sitting in a paper bag on the counter top didn't help. Destined never to fully ripen . . . as so often happens when you cave in and buy fruit out of season.

There was nothing else to do but to use them for cooking.



I decided to make a delicious Plum Crumble Tart with them. I like this particular recipe because I am rather lazy at times and it didn't involve rolling out pastry or chilling pastry.



The crust for this particular tart is rather like a lovely hazelnut cookie that kind of cradles the cooked plums . . . which, after baking, become all sweet and sticky, and then of course there is the added pleasure of more of the hazelnut crust scattered and crumbled over the top.



Moreishly delicious and the pefect way to use up a couple punnets of plums that were never going to be any good for eating out of hand. All was not lost and I redeemed myself, I think . . .

*Plum Crumble Tart*
Makes 1 8-inch tart
Printable Recipe

A delicious plum tart with a hazelnut cookie type of crust and crumble topping. Fabulous served with a dollop of creme fraiche or Greek Yoghurt.

6 ounces plain flour (1 1/2 cup)
1 TBS cornflour
(cornstarch)
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 12 ounces unsalted butter (7 TBS)
1 1/2 ounces ground hazelnuts (1/3 cup)
1 1/2 ounces caster sugar (1/3 cup)
2 to 3 TBS milk

For the filling:
14 ounces ripe red plums
1 TBS cornflour (cornstarch)
3 TBS caster sugar
the finely grated rind of one small orange

To serve:
creme fraiche or Greek Yogurt

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Preheat a baking tray.

Whisk the flour, cornflour and baking powder together. Cut the butter into little bits and add. Rub this in with your fingertips until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the nuts and sugar. Stir in the milk 1 TBS at a time, until you have a soft dough Remove 1/4 of the dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Put into the refrigerator.

Tske the remainder of the dough and press it into the bottom and sides of an 8 inch tart tin with a removeable bottom.

Cut the plums in half and stone, then cut each half in half again. Place into a bowl and toss together with the cornflour, sugar and the orange rind. Pour into the prepared tart shell and spread out. Take the dough from the fridge and crumble it over top. Place the tart onto the prepared baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes until ightly browned and bubbling. Serve cut into wedges along with some creme fraiche or Greek Yogurt for dolloping.