Almond Plum Tart

    Contrary to popular belief, almonds –not peanuts – are the most popular nut in world. Almonds are also extremely good for you. They are a rich source of calcium, magnesium, fiber, and most of the vitamins, as well as being the biggest barriers against cardiovascular disease and diabetes. I like to use that fact to justify eating more than one piece of this tart in one sitting. In this almond paste tart, plums and almonds work together in harmony, bringing sweetness and tartness in every bite.  Partially prebaking the tart crust allows the tart to stay soft when being served, while the crust itself will be golden brown and baked to perfection.

Almond Plum Tart

Yields 1 9" tart

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 ¼ cup all purpose flour

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

½ cup salted sweet cream butter (cut into small cubes)

2 egg yolks

1 tbsp heavy cream

Filling:

1 cup skinned almonds

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

1 large egg

4 tbsp butter

4 medium plums

Start by making the dough for your crust. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and confectioners’ sugar. Add in the cubed butter, and use your fingers to coat and squeeze the butter until you have large crumbs. In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolks and cream. Pour the egg mixture into the crumbs and knead it together until you have a smooth ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).

        Roll out your dough to an even thickness of about 1/8 of an inch. Transfer the dough to your 9 inch tart pan, and press it into the bottom of the pan. Trim around the edge of the pan so there is no dough hanging over. Put the tart pan with the dough in it into the freeze for 15 minutes. After that time is up, line the tart crust with a large piece of aluminum foil. Fill the foil-lined crust with uncooked rice or beans to weigh it down. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (until the crust is fully dried out). Remove the partially prebaked tart crust from the oven. 

        Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).

        In a food processor, blend the almonds with the sugar until the almonds are fine crumbs. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and egg, and blend again until fully combined. Slightly melt the butter, then blend in into the almond mixture.  Use a little spatula to spread the almond paste evenly around your tart crust.

         Cut the plums into quarters, and arrange them circularly on top of the almond paste. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the almond paste is set and golden. Cool until the swollen plums have gone down. Sprinkle raw sugar on top before serving.

Sweet Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

Did you know that the first fruit to ripen in the spring (at least here in the USA) is strawberries? Spring has finally sprung here in New England, and with the spring comes the beautiful strawberries that are showcased in this tart. “Berries n’ Cream” is taken to a whole new level of elegance with the sweet mascarpone cheese filling for the tart pairing perfectly with the tart sweetness of the strawberries. Whether this tart is served at an afternoon tea, or at a family picnic, its versatile appearance and taste will perfectly suit every occasion.

Sweet Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

Yields 1-9” tart

Crust:

1 ¼ cup all purpose flour

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

½ cup salted sweet cream butter (cut into small cubes)

2 egg yolks

1 tbsp heavy cream

Sweet Mascarpone Filling:

8 oz mascarpone cheese

¾ cup heavy cream

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Topping:

2 tbsp seedless strawberry jam

About  14 strawberries

Start by making the dough for your crust. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and confectioners’ sugar. Add in the cubed butter, and use your fingers to coat and squeeze the butter until you have large crumbs. In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolks and cream. Pour the egg mixture into the crumbs and knead it together until you have a smooth ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).

The nice thing about this tart is that the filling is not baked, so it is very light and airy. That being said, the crust must be prebaked. Roll out your dough to an even thickness of about 1/8 of an inch. Transfer the dough to your 9 inch tart pan, and press it into the bottom of the pan. Trim around the edge of the pan so there is no dough hanging over. Put the tart pan with the dough in it into the freeze for 15 minutes. After that time is up, line the tart crust with a large piece of aluminum foil. Fill the foil-lined crust with uncooked rice or beans to weigh it down. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (until the crust is fully dried out). Remove the foil and weight from the pan and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Continue to bake until your crust is golden brown (about 10 to 15 minutes). Set aside to cool while you make the cream.

          In a large bowl, beat together the mascarpone, cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high until stiff peaks form (about 2 or 3 minutes). Use a spatula to spread the sweet mascarpone cream into the cooled tart. Arrange the strawberries (pointed ends up!) on top of the tart. Melt the strawberry jam in a small saucepan. Use a pastry brush to brush the melted jam onto the strawberries. 

I'm really excited to say that the next couple recipes that I post are going to be tarts! I've been doing some experimenting lately and I am really excited to share them with you guys! Also, in about a month (so May 22nd), this recipe is going to be featured on Wall Street International Magazine, an online magazine that publishes articles from people all over the world about some pretty cool stuff, so definitely check it out! Happy Baking!