Brandy Plum Tart Recipes

BRANDIED PLUMS

Steps:

• Boil a stockpot of water, as deep as the shoulder of a 2-quart jar with a hinged lid.
• Wash and stem the plums and prick several holes around the stem ends.
• Pack plums in the jar.
• Quarter and pit and the plums that will not fit in the jar and then re-pack the jar, interspersing the whole plums with the plum quarters.
• Add the cinnamon stick.
• In a two quart saucepan, bring the sugar, salt and 1 cup of water to a boil, then turn to low and simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Let the syrup cool for ten minutes, then stir in the brandy and immediately pour the liquid into the jar of plums, filling the jar up to a half inch from the rim.
• Partly close the jar, leaving a gap for steam to escape and place the jar in the stockpot of boiling water for ten minutes.
• Carefully remove the jar with a jar lifter or two pairs of tongs and close the lid tightly.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Refrigerate up to two weeks.

PLUM BRANDY

Steps:

• Make sure the plum halves are clean and dry, then put them in a large sterilised glass jar. Add the sugar, brandy, cinnamon stick and star anise. Seal and gently rotate the jar to help dissolve the sugar.
• Continue to gently shake or rotate the jar (trying not to bash the fruit too much) every day for a week.
• Once the sugar has dissolved, leave it in a cool dark cupboard for another 2 weeks to infuse.
• Strain the mixture through a sieve lined with muslin, kitchen paper or coffee filter paper. Discard the plums, any fruit pulp and the spices, and pour the strained brandy into a bottle. Will keep for two months.

FRESH PLUM FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out crust dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Gently press dough into tart pan; trim excess. Freeze crust 15 minutes.
• Place tart pan on baking sheet. Bake crust 10 minutes; pierce with toothpick if crust bubbles. Continue to bake until crust is pale golden, about 12 minutes. Cool crust on baking sheet 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• For filling:
• Blend all ingredients except plums in processor until almonds are finely ground. Spread frangipane filling in prepared crust.
• Place plum halves, skin side up, on work surface. Cut 1 plum half into thin parallel slices, keeping plum intact (do not cut through end). Press gently to fan slices. Repeat with remaining plum halves. Place fanned plums, skin side up, atop frangipane; press gently to anchor.
• Bake tart on baking sheet until frangipane is puffed and golden and plums are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove tart from baking sheet; transfer to rack.
• For glaze:
• Stir apricot jam and brandy in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until mixture boils. Strain glaze into small bowl. Brush glaze generously over plums. Cool tart completely. (Tart can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Push pan bottom up to free tart from pan. Cut tart into wedges and serve.

BRANDY PLUM TART

Steps:

• 1. Sift Flour
• 2. Add cubed butter, rubbing until becomes like sand.
• 3. Add the sugar/salt
• 4. Beat two eggs and add them to the flour
• 5. Make a ball, cling paper and in the fridge overnight
• 6. Prepare filling with Plum Jam + Brandy
• 7. Pre-cook dough for 10min at 180C
• 8. Cut Plum nicely and arrange
• 9. Cook for 30min at 170C until golden dough and smooth plum
• 10. Add Lemon & Cinnamon (+ caster sugar to make it crunshy)

ORIGINAL PLUM TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
• Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
• Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)

SPICED PLUM TART WITH BRANDY WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, cornstarch, anise seed (if using), cinnamon, ginger and salt. Add plums; gently toss to coat. Let stand 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Unroll pie crust onto lightly floured surface. Roll dough lightly into a 12" circle; fit into a 9" tart pan with removable bottom that has been lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. Press dough against sides of pan, trimming off excess dough.
• Arrange plums cut-side down in single layer, overlapping slightly to cover crust. Drizzle any juices remaining in plum bowl over top. Place tart pan on jellyroll pan.
• Bake in 375 degree oven until bubbly and crust is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour.
• While tart is cooling, prepare brandy whipped cream: In large chilled mixer bowl beat whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon brandy at high speed until soft peaks form. Don't overbeat.
• Remove ring from tart pan and cut tart into wedges. Serve with dollops of brandy whipped cream.

BRANDIED PLUMS

Steps:

• Boil a stockpot of water as deep as the shoulder of a 2-quart jar with hinged lid.
• Wash and stem plums. Prick several holes around stem ends. Pack plums in jar. Quarter and pit plums that don't fit in jar and re-pack, placing quartered pieces in gaps that form between whole plums. Add cinnamon stick.
• In a 2-quart saucepan or skillet, bring sugar, salt and 1 cup water to a boil, then turn to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 10 minutes, stir in brandy. Immediately pour the liquid into jar up to 1/2-inch from the rim.
• Partly close jar, to leave gap for steam to escape, and place in pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Carefully remove jar with jar lifter or 2 tongs and close the lid tightly. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

RUSTIC PLUM TART

Steps:

• For crust:
• Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• For topping:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss plums, 4 tablespoons sugar, ginger and cinnamon in bowl. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12 1/2-inch round. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Mix 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in small bowl; sprinkle over dough, leaving 2-inch plain border. Arrange plums in concentric circles on dough, leaving 2-inch plain border; drizzle with melted butter. Fold dough border in toward center. Brush border with egg glaze; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake tart until plums are tender and crust is golden, about 45 minutes.
• Stir preserves in saucepan over low heat until melted. Brush over plums. Cool tart 1 hour on baking sheet. Run long thin knife under tart to loosen. Using 9-inch tart pan bottom, transfer tart to plate; serve at room temperature.

ITALIAN PLUM TART (TARTE AUX QUETSCHES)

Steps:

• To make the crust, pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and butter or margarine together in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade until crumbled. Then add the egg yolk, and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Put the dough in the center of an ungreased 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Dust your fingers with flour, and gently press out the dough to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and bake the crust for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees, and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven, and let cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Mix the jam with the brandy in a small bowl, and spread over the bottom of the crust. Pit the plums, and cut them into four pieces each. Starting at the outside, arrange the plums in a circle so that all the pieces overlap, creating concentric circles that wind into the center of the pan. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and lemon zest.
• Return the tart to the oven, and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the plums are juicy. Remove the tart from the oven, sprinkle on the sugar, and serve warm or at room temperature.