Plum Frangipane Tart

How to Make Plum Frangipane Tart Recipe - preparation 30 minutes plus chilling cooking time 50–55 minutes

Makes 12 pieces

Ingredients:
150g/5oz/⅔ cup butter, softened
150g/5oz/scant ⅔ cup caster (superfine) sugar
150g/5oz/1½ cups ground almonds
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
2 medium eggs, beaten
450g/1lb red plums, stoned and sliced
3 tbsp flaked almonds
2 tbsp icing (confectioner’s) sugar
For the pastry (pie crust)
225g/8oz/2¼ cups plain (all-purpose) flour plus extra to dust
50g/2oz/¼ cup caster (superfine) sugar
125g/4oz/½ cup cold butter, diced

Method:
1 To make the pastry, put the flour, sugar and butter in a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in 3 tbsp cold water to make a smooth dough.

2 Knead on a lightly floured surface, then roll out a little larger than a 28 x 18 x 4cm/11 x 7 x 1½in fluted loose-bottomed tart tin. Line the tin with the pastry, prick the base with a fork, then chill in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes.

3 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Line the pastry shell with parchment paper and baking beans, then bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and cook for 5 minutes or until crisp. Leave to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

4 Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in alternate spoonfuls of ground almonds and flour with the beaten eggs, until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the pastry shell and top with the plums and almonds.

5 Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes until the frangipane is golden. Leave to cool for 20 minutes. Remove from the tin and cut into pieces. Freeze when cold.

6 Serve warm, dusted with sifted icing sugar.

Plum Frangipane Tart