Courtney’s Plum and Frangipane Tart

The recipe for this luscious tart was given to me by Courtney Bracks, the talented owner/chef of Ciao Thyme and Café Viva in Darling St., Balmain, Sydney.  Courtney has cooked for the stars – but doesn’t have stars in her eyes.

Inroduction

About this Recipe

By: Sheridan Rogers

The recipe for this luscious tart was given to me by Courtney Bracks, the talented owner/chef of Ciao Thyme and Café Viva in Darling St., Balmain, Sydney.  Courtney has cooked for the stars – but doesn’t have stars in her eyes.

Ingredients

  • seasonal plums (blood plums are best) or figs 10
  • caster sugar to coat
  • unsalted butter 150g, cubed
Sweet Pastry
  • plain flour 240g
  • cold unsalted butter 180g
  • salt a pinch
  • nutmeg a pinch
  • caster sugar 20g
  • ice cold water 4 tablespoons
Frangipane Filling
  • softened unsalted butter 120g
  • caster sugar 150g
  • eggs 2
  • ground almonds 200g
  • brandy 3 tablespoons

Preheat oven to 220degC/200degC Fan Forced.  Grease a 35cm x 13cm tart dish with removable base. Make the pastry: place flour, butter, salt, nutmeg and sugar in the food processor and pulse until crumbly.  Add water and process until it forms a ball around the blades.  Turn out, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Roll out pastry to fit the tart dish and level edges. Place in freezer for 20 minutes.  Remove tart base from fridge and bake blind in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside while preparing the fruit. Prepare the fruit: cut the plums (or figs) in half, remove stones and toss in sugar.  Caramelise the fruit in a frying pan with some butter until well coloured. For the frangipane filling: cream together the butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time then beat in the almonds and brandy. To assemble the flan: fill tart case with cold frangipane filling, top with the plums (or figs). Lower oven temperature to 180degC (160degC fan Forced) and bake tart for 30 – 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.  Cool a little before serving. Note: the pastry can be left in the freezer for 2 weeks.  The frangipane filling and fruit can be prepared two days before – you’ll find that the frangipane puffs up better if left in the fridge.