We live in an area where all the fruit you can imagine is grown here-cherries, peaches, apricots, pears, apples, grapes (table and wine), plums, raspberries, blackberries, figs, and on and on. Lucky us.
This is a wonderful tasting and not difficult tart to make. Simply ensure that the plums you use are firm, not soft. If they are on the soft side, the tart will not set properly.
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
- 1/3 cups hazelnuts
- 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tbsp. sifted flour
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 4 medium blue plums, firm
- 1 half-pint blackberries
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp. almond flavouring
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- pinch of grated nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9″ springform pan and set aside. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake until they become fragrant (8-10 minutes). Rub the nuts in a clean towel to remove the skins. Let cool and pulse in a food processor until medium fine in texture.
Transfer the nuts now to a mixer with a paddle attachment. Sift the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and mix until combined. Add the butter and mix until the crumbs begins to stick together (2-3 minutes). Press 3 cups of the crumbs in the bottom of the pan and up the sides about 1 1/2 inches to form the tart crust. Reserve the remaining crumbs for later. Bake the tart shell in the oven for about 18-20 minutes and set aside.
Slice the plums in half and remove the pits. Slice the plums into eighths. Scatter 3/4 cup of the berries and the sliced plums onto the cooled crust and set aside.
Whisk together 1 tbsp. of the flour and 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar, almond flavouring, egg, egg yolk, cream and milk together until well blended. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and mix together. Pour this over the fruit, top with the remaining crumb topping and bake in the oven for about 45-55 minutes, until golden and custard has set.
Garnish with the remaining berries and let rest for about 25 minutes. Serve this warm or room temperature with, of course, whipped cream or a wonderfully decadent vanilla ice cream.
