Almond Plum Tart

Things have been happening so fast in terms of holidays that it's hard to keep up with posting. I turn around and it's Erev Shabbat again. While I'm waiting for my laundry to finish its cycle, my challah dough to rise and my episode of Top Chef Just Desserts to load, I figure I'd post this tart that I made last week, when the first days of the holiday began. As previously mentioned, I offered to bake for my sister and this is the tart I made. The recipe for this Plum and Almond Tart comes from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert and couldnt be easier to make. My sister called this tart simple but good. I thought it was beautiful and "simple" to be a compliment because it fits right into the premise of the book, recipes that are simple but fresh, using few ingredients but highlighting them at the same time. Making this tart is as easy as dumping a few ingredients into a food processor and slicing some fruit. If you dont believe me, check out the photos...



Plum and Almond Tart
from Pure Dessert


1/2 cup unblanched or blanched whole almonds
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/8 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup flour
3/8 tsp baking powder
1 egg
3 tbsp firm butter or margarine
4 large or 6 smaller plums, quartered


Preheat the oven to 375. Butter a nine inch tart pan and set aside.

Place the nuts, sugar, salt and almond extract in the bowl of your food processor.

Process until finely ground.

Add the flour and baking powder and pulse to mix thoroughly.

Add the egg and margarine,

and pulse until no flour remains and it begins to clump around the blade.

Press the dough evenly into the prepared tart pan.

Arrange the slices of fruit decoratively around the crust.

Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the crust is nice and golden. Cool on a wire rack.