I adore plums. I like that they are small enough to rinse a handful at once, spinning them in your palm like Baoding balls. I love their range of shapes and colors that somehow match whatever you’re wearing. I love that each one hides a pit you can casually spit into the sink, and most of all I love that they grow on trees you can stand beneath, look up at, and feel that everything is right with the world. Even the word “plum” is pleasing to say, and the French prune has a soft, puckering sound that somehow fits the fruit.
One bright September day a few years ago almost spoiled my affection for plums: Maxence and I found a pick-your-own orchard in Alsace. We spent a blissful few hours filling buckets with mirabelles — tiny golden plums freckled with orange — and quetsches, the elongated, purple-blue plums that are sweeter than damsons. We snacked as we picked, wiping away the fine white bloom (the pruine in French) that signals true freshness; that powdery film disappears soon after a fruit is harvested, and its presence is a reassuring sign of tree-ripeness.
Since then, finding plums that match that memory has been a challenge. Local markets may offer crates of excellent fruit, but produce shops in big cities often sell plums picked a little early so they’ll survive transport. Anyone who loves fruit knows plums complete their ripening on the tree, not on a kitchen counter.
If you’re willing to be a little bold with your greengrocer and ask for a taste, you’ll avoid buying under-ripe fruit. If you’ve developed a friendly rapport with your produce seller, a smile often does the trick. Insist on tasting, and say politely, “Maybe not,” when the plum lacks sweetness. That way, only truly ripe, juicy plums ever make it home with you — and when you bring them back, you might celebrate by baking a tart.
This recipe is a gentle variation on my mother’s classic tarte aux quetsches. Instead of pouring a custard of egg and cream over the fruit, the tart shell is lined with a walnut cream — crème de noix — made from ground walnuts, egg, sugar, and a little crème fraîche, the same filling used for walnut tarts in Périgord. I purposely use modest sugar in the walnut cream so a subtle, slightly bitter note can contrast with the sweet, sandy crust and the caramelized plums. Unrefined cane sugar adds a faint earthy depth that feels right for late summer and autumn baking.
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Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients
- 75 grams (1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon) sugar (unrefined cane sugar works well; regular white sugar is fine)
- 150 grams flour (about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons if using American all-purpose)
- 75 grams butter (salted is fine; if using unsalted add a pinch of salt) — about 7 tablespoons if using American-style butter
- Ice-cold water or milk
- 135 grams (1 1/4 cups) shelled walnut halves
- 2 tablespoons sugar (unrefined cane sugar suggested; white sugar or honey are alternatives)
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons crème fraîche (or substitute sour cream)
- Optional: 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or 1 teaspoon plum or walnut liqueur, or 1 teaspoon dark rum
- 700 grams (1 1/2 pounds) ripe quetsche plums (any ripe plum variety may be substituted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a 10-inch tart pan and set it aside.
- Make the pâte sablée: in a mixer or food processor combine the sugar and flour. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Alternatively, rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips or a pastry blender.
- Add a tablespoon of ice-cold water or milk and pulse again until absorbed. The dough should remain crumbly but hold together when pressed; add water, a teaspoon at a time, if needed.
- Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan, using the heels of your hands and your fingers to form a thin base and a rim. The dough may feel slightly dry — that is normal. You can prepare this dough up to a day ahead and refrigerate it covered. Bake the crust about 15 minutes, until it is lightly golden.
- While the crust par-bakes, prepare the walnut cream: grind the walnuts and sugar in a food processor until coarsely powdered. Add the egg, crème fraîche, and any optional flavoring, and blend until smooth. The filling can be made a day ahead and stored chilled; bring it to room temperature before using.
- Rinse and dry the plums, halve them, and remove the stones.
- Take the tart shell from the oven (leave the oven on) and let it cool briefly.
- Spread the walnut cream evenly over the par-baked shell. Arrange the plum halves in concentric circles, starting at the outside and working in toward the center.
- Bake the tart for about 30 minutes, until the plums are tender and the walnut cream has set. Transfer the tart to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before serving. It is best eaten the day it is made; if you have leftovers, cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before serving.
This post was first published in October 2006 and updated in July 2016.