Plum, Apricot & Almond Tart
Ingredients
for the pastry
350g/12oz plain flour
pinch of salt
200g/7oz unsalted butter, chilled
100g/3½oz icing sugar
2 medium egg yolks
for the filling
250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened
250g/9oz caster sugar
250g/9oz ground almonds
6 medium eggs
8 plums, halved and stoned
8 apricots, halved and stoned
for the glaze
1 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
Method
Preheat the oven to 200oC / 400oF / gas 6. Make the pastry: in a large bowl, sift the flour and salt together and rub in the butter until the mixture has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the icing sugar. Add the egg yolks and mix well to form a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Lightly grease a 30cm / 12in loose-bottomed fluted tart pan and line the base with baking paper. Roll out the pastry and use to line the pan. Prick the pastry base, cover with greaseproof paper and baking beans and bake for 20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and reduce the setting to 180oC / 350oF / gas 4. Remove the paper and beans.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the ground almonds and mix well, then gradually beat in the eggs a little at a time. Arrange the plums and apricots, cut-side down, in the pastry case. Pour over the almond mixture, then bake for 35-40 minutes until set.
Brush the tart with the apricot jam. then serve with creme fraiche, if you like.