Black Plum Tart (Photo Recipe)

For whatever reason, Black Plums are in season for only a couple of months each year and we are now in the later part of this year's season. Having what I need to make a Black Plum Tart is one of the reasons why I hate when they are gone.

To make this desert you will need:

A pie crust.

I did not take photos of making my pie crust, but to make one you will need:

2 1/2 cups AP Flour
2 sticks Cold, Unsalted Butter (cut into pieces)
1 Tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 - 6 Tablespoons (give or take) of cold water

Add salt and sugar to flour and sift into a mixing bowl.

Mix butter in flour with fingers until the blend is uniform and crumbles. Place in refrigerator for 10-20 minutes to rechill the butter. Incorporate water a bit at a time into flour mixture while mixing. Stop adding water when you are able to work the mixture into a ball, adding only enough water to make the ball stick together. Separate the dough into two portions and shape into 1-2 inch wheels, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes, then roll one wheel out to size on a floured surface. (Save the other for later use).

To make the Tart you will need:

- A fluted Tart pan as shown below
- A pie crust for the bottom of the Tart you will partially precook the crust to help set it before adding the fruit.
- 4 - 5 Black Plums depending on size and how closely you arrange the slices (I used 3 3/4 in this recipe)
- Brown Sugar and Honey Topping for the Tart




To make the topping you will need:

1/4 cup old fashioned Oatmeal
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon AP flour
1/8 teaspoon of salt
2 Tablespoons Almond Slithers
1 Tablespoon Honey



Add all topping ingredients to a mixing bowl



and mix with a spoon until a crumbly mixture has formed



And set aside until needed.

Form the Pie Crust into Tart Pan and Precook.

Roll out crust (thin) and form into fluted tart pan (this pan has a removable bottom panel). There is no need to coat this pan with oil or butter because it is non-stick. If your tart pan is not non-stick, coat it with butter.

Do not pierce the crust with a fork. If there are holes in your crust, the juice from the plums will pass through and cook under the crust, ruining it as he tart cooks.



Cut a circle out of parchment paper and place over the crust.



Dump dried beans over the crust to keep it flat while pre-cooking. We keep these in the pantry for this use and reuse them when needed to pre-cook a crust. I have mistakenly tried to cook these beans before and after a passage through the oven at 400 degrees once or twice, they will not boil to tenderness.





Pre-cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, until a very light tan.





Then remove the beans (return them to the bag and pantry for use next time). Remove parchment paper and discard.

With a sharp knife, slice the plums - each plum into 16 slices - Half the plum, then quarter, then 8ths, then 16ths. I love the way ripe black plums look and taste.





I do them one at a time and place them on the crust, starting with the outside row. This is two plums.



and layering completed - your slices may be more artistically placed then mine, but I get the job done.



Time to cover the top with the honey, brown sugar, oatmeal and almond crumb coating we made earlier.





Into a 400 degree oven (Middle shelf) for 30 minutes give or take. The intent is to dry the fruit and set the top. Since you precooked the crust, it will be done when those things are accomplished.



Finished and out of the oven. Now it needs to cool.





I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to serve it with some vanilla ice cream.





Money Shot:



This tart will make with Black Plums, Red Plums, Fresh Prune Plums, Nectarines, Peaches and Apples. While they are in season, you should try one with Black Plums.

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