Yellow Plum Tart
Ingredients
l75g/6oz plain flour
pinch of salt
75g/3oz butter, chilled
30ml/2 tbsp caster sugar
a few drops of pure vanilla essence
45ml/3 tbsp iced water
cream or custard, to serve
For the filling
75g/3oz caster sugar
75g/3oz butter, softened
75g/3oz ground almonds
1 egg, beaten
30ml/2 tbsp plain flour
450g/llb yellow plums, halved and stoned
For the glaze
45ml/3 tbsp apricot jam, sieved
15ml/l tbsp water
Method
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then rub in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the caster sugar, vanilla essence and enough of the iced water to make a soft dough.
Knead the dough gently on a lightly floured surface until smooth, then wrap in clear film and chill for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/ Gas 6. Roll out the pastry and line a 23cm/9in fluted flan tin, allowing excess pastry to overhang the top. Prick the base with a fork and line with non-stick baking paper and baking beans
Bake blind for 10 minutes, remove the paper and beans, then return the pastry case to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Trim off any excess pastry with a sharp knife
To make the filling, whisk or beat together all the ingredients except the plums or greengages. Spread on the base of the pastry case. Arrange the plums or greengages on top, placing them cut side down. Make a glaze by heating the jam with the water. Stir well, then brush a little of the jam glaze over the top of the fruit
Bake the tart for 50-60 minutes, until the almond filling is cooked and the plums or greengages are tender. Warm any remaining jam glaze and brush it over the top. Cut into slices and serve with cream or custard.
Hints & tips
Ceramic baking beans are ideal for baking blind, but any dried beans will do. You can use them over and over again, but make sure you keep them in a special jar, separate from the rest of your dried beans, as you cannot use them for conventional cooking.