Pluot Tart with Marzipan Crumble Recipe
This recipe works well with plums or Pluots. The tartness of the stone fruit does will with the sweetness of the marzipan -- sweetened almond paste. The higher the quality of the almond paste the better.
This recipe is adapted from The Bon Appetit Cookbook, (Conde Naste Publications, 2008)
Ingredients - crust:
1 cup "0" flour or all purpose flour
3/4 cups sliced almonds
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter - cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tablespoons whipping cream - chilled
1 large egg yolk
Ingredients - crumble:
3/4 cup "0" or all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond paste - packed (about 5 ounces)
1/2 cup dark Muscovado sugar - packed
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter - chilled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Ingredients - filling:
2-1/4 pounds plums or Pluots - halved, pitted, thinly sliced
1/2 superfine sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Directions:
1. To make the crust, combine first 4 crust ingredients in processor.
Blend until nuts are finely ground.
Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add cream and egg yolk.
Using the on/off switch, blend until moist clumps form.
2) Press dough over bottom and up sides of an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Pierce all over with a fork. Chill for 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 400-degrees (F). Bake crust until golden, pressing with back of form every 5 minutes if bubles form - about 25 minutes. Transfer crust to rack and cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375-degrees (F)
4. To make crumble, blend flour, almond paste and sugar in processor until almond paste is finely ground. Add butter - using on/off turns, blend until coarse crumbs form. Transfer mixture to bowl and mix in almonds.
5. To make filling, place all ingredients in medium bowl and toss until well combined.
6. Assemble by sprinkling 3/4 cup crumble over cooled crust. Top with plums/Pluots. Sprinkle with remaining crumble.
7. Bake tart until filling is bubbling thickly and top is golden, about 40 minutes. Cool 10 minuted. Push up pan bottom to release tart. Cool.
10 to 12 servings