Rustic Plum and Almond Tart with Homemade Pastry Crust

Plum and Almond Tart with Homemade Pastry – a fruit plum tart topped with almond frangipane and a crumbly sweet pastry.

This plum and almond tart is both beautiful and easy to make. Juicy ripe plums are layered over a soft almond frangipane and nestled into a buttery, crumbly homemade pastry. It’s delicious warm or cold and perfect for breakfast, dessert or picnics.

The homemade pastry is surprisingly simple. You don’t need to roll it out: chill the dough, slice it, and press the slices into the tin to form a rustic tart shell. The result is wonderfully textured and forgiving — any imperfections only add to its charm.

Once the pastry is pressed into the flan tin, spread the frangipane across the base and arrange the plum slices on top. A light sprinkle of brown sugar caramelizes in the oven to finish the tart with a glossy, sweet finish.

This tart travels well and is excellent served cold at a picnic. It’s also irresistible slightly warm with cream or custard.

The Plum and Almond Tart with Homemade Pastry Recipe

Plum and Almond Tart with Homemade Pastry

Plum tart with almond frangipane and crumbly sweet homemade pastry

Prep Time: 35 mins • Cook Time: 55 mins • Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins • Servings: 16 slices • Course: Dessert • Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Pastry:

280 g (2 1/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
pinch of salt
120 g (1 cup + 1 tsp) confectioners’ sugar
240 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
2 egg yolks

Frangipane:

120 g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
130 g (3/4 cup minus 2 tbsp) golden caster sugar
2 large eggs
150 g (about 2 cups) ground almonds (almond meal, not superfine almond flour)
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Plums:

6 large ripe plums
1 1/2 tbsp soft brown sugar

To finish:

1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Make the pastry: Mix the flour, salt and confectioners’ sugar. Add the softened butter and egg yolks and combine until just mixed (hands work well for this). Shape into a log, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 1 hour.
Make the frangipane: Beat the butter and sugar together until paler. Stir in the eggs, then fold in the ground almonds, flour, almond extract and vanilla. Cover and chill until needed.
Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F (fan). Prepare a 30cm flan tin with a removable base. Slice the chilled pastry into 1/2 cm slices and arrange them over the bottom and up the sides of the tin, pressing to fill any gaps and to work the pastry into the tin’s ridges. Trim the edges flush with the pan and chill for 10 minutes.
Slice the plums: halve, remove the stones and cut each half into about 6 slices (you should get roughly 12 slices per plum). If stones are stubborn, cut carefully around them.
Assemble the tart: Spread dollops of frangipane over the pastry base and roughly level with a spoon. Arrange the plum slices on top, starting in an outer circle and working inward, overlapping slightly to form a decorative pattern.
Sprinkle the brown sugar over the plums and bake for 45–55 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the plums are slightly caramelised. Allow at least 45 minutes to ensure the pastry cooks through; if the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil (avoid touching the plums).
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving, with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. You can also cool completely and serve later.

Notes

This tart will keep for up to 2 days, covered, in the fridge.

Nutritional information is per serving (approximate).

Nutrition (per slice, approx.)

Serve a slice warm with cream or custard, or enjoy it chilled for a portable, picnic-friendly dessert. The rustic look makes this tart forgiving and charming — and the flavour is what really counts.