I was on a peach bandwagon for the last month or so. Now it’s on to plums. Stonefruit are some of my favorite fruits and I tend to only eat them in the summer. I’m never tempted by them in the dead of winter. Since plums are some of my toddler’s favorite fruit, I picked up a few for her. Then I remembered this plum tart I used to make with a streusel topping. I wanted to make it a little differently this time. Then I remembered the lavender and rosemary I had planted this late spring. I thought rosemary would be great incorporated with plums and it was!
What makes this plum tart special?
I love plums in baked desserts. Their tart skins add that sour contrast that’s so nice with something sweet. When eating this tart, I can almost imagine tasting rhubarb too. I’m usually one to add lemon zest or juice to everything but there was no need to here. The streusel topping makes it just sweet enough and the rosemary adds a hint of a piney, herbaceous note. It’s a “hmm, what is that?” flavor as you’re eating it. The crust has a little cornmeal added in for a tiny bit of crunch.
Slightly underripe plums hold their shape beautifully when baked in a tart like this. The skins give this tart an amazing ruby hue and it’s the perfect dessert for when you have guests. I’ve never had anyone not be impressed with this tart. Serve it with vanilla ice cream or barely sweetened whipped cream and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
Besides baking, I love using plums in jams and savory dishes too. They’re one of the best stone fruits of the summer. I love biting into a perfectly ripe and juicy plum. I bet plums and pork would be a great pairing! How about creamy ricotta spread on toast with slices of ripe plums, a drizzle of honey and a few leaves of basil? Sounds delicious. Get your fill of plums now while they’re in season.
Plum Tart with Rosemary Streusel
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (20 g) yellow cornmeal or polenta, finely ground
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, cubed and chilled (1 stick)
- 2-4 tablespoons ice water
For the Rosemary Streusel Topping
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- ½ teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped (a small sprig)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces (61 g) butter, cubed and chilled (half a stick)
For the Filling
- 1½ pounds (700 g) plums, cut into 6 or 8 wedges (8-9 slightly underripe plums)
- ⅓ cup (80 g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (9 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Method
- Make the crust. In a food processor, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter cubes and pulse until butter is the size of peas. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse just until dough starts to come together. Take a small handful and press. If it holds together then dough is ready. If not, add another tablespoon of water and pulse again.
- Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Lifting the sides of the wrap or paper, press dough into a flat disk. Wrap it with the plastic or waxed paper and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. (If making dough ahead, chill in refrigerator.)
- Make streusel topping. In the same food processor, add the flour, sugar and rosemary. Pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until it looks like fine crumbs. Pour into a small bowl and set aside in the refrigerator.
- Combine all the ingredients for the filling in a large bowl. Gently mix together. Set aside.
- Roll out dough. Place dough disk in between two large sheets of parchment or on a well- floured surface. Roll dough out into a circle that is larger than the 9" tart pan.
- Lift off one sheet of parchment and flip dough onto the pan. (If dough is too soft, place in refrigerator for 15 minutes to harden.) Lift away the remaining parchment. Ease dough into the corners of the pan and press in place with your fingers. Cut off excess dough. Fix any cracks or tears with excess dough. (If rolling dough out on a floured surface, roll dough onto your rolling pin and roll it onto the pan.) Using a fork, prick holes all over the bottom of the crust. Set pan in the freezer to firm up for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C) with a rack set in the middle of the oven. Using hands, shingle plum slices into the prepared pan. Leave the juices behind in the bowl. They should be in a single layer and tightly arranged. Spoon the streusel topping over plums (it will seem like a lot). Place tart on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Filling will be runny while hot. Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
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