Plum And Marzipan Cake Recipes

PLUM & MARZIPAN TART TATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Melt the butter in a 28cm tart tatin tin over a medium heat on the hob. Tip in the sugar and 1 tbsp water and cook for a few minutes, stirring all the time until lightly browned. If it looks slightly crumbly at this stage don't be put off, it will right itself in the oven. Remove from the heat and put in the plums, cut side up.
• Chop the marzipan into as many chunks as there are plum halves and put a chunk of marzipan in the hole in each plum left by the stone. Sprinkle a small pile of ground almonds over each plum half.
• Roll out the pastry and trim to 3cm larger than the tin all round. Lift the pastry on to the tin and tuck it down between the plums and the inside of the tin. (You can chill the tart ready for baking for up to 24 hours.) Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is risen, crisp and golden. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then place a large flat plate with a rim over the tin. Holding it over the sink in case of drips, carefully invert the tart on to the plate. Some juice from the plums is likely to escape, which is why you need a rim on the plate, but it's delicious, especially when mingled with pouring cream.

PLUM & MARZIPAN PIE

Steps:

• Put the butter and flour in a food processor with 1/4 tsp salt and blend until the mixture resembles damp breadcrumbs. Or do this by rubbing the butter and flour together in a big bowl with your fingertips. Add the sugar and briefly whizz again or stir to combine.
• Whisk the egg yolk with 2 tbsp cold water, and drizzle over the flour mixture. Use the pulse button to blend the mixture once more, keep going until it starts to form larger clumps. If the mixture seems too dry, add a little more water a tsp or 2 at a time, but no more than 3 tsp in total.
• Tip out onto a work surface and briefly knead the dough to bring it together into a smooth ball. Avoid overworking or it will become tough. Flatten the dough into a puck shape and wrap well in cling film. Chill for at least 30 mins, or for up to 2 days, or freeze for 2 months.
• Tip the plums, sugar and cornflour into a large pan, then toss to coat. Simmer for 3-5 mins, stirring now and then, until the plums have just begun to soften. Tip them into a sieve suspended over a large bowl, leave for 30 mins-1 hr, stirring every 10 mins, until the juice has all collected in the bowl.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and divide into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Re-wrap the smaller piece of dough and set aside. Divide the larger piece of dough into the number of pies you'd like to make, or leave whole for a large one. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to the thickness of a 50p piece, or until large enough to line the base of your pie plate or tin, with a little pastry overhanging. Roll the dough over your rolling pin, lift into the plate or tin and press it well into the corners. Scatter the almonds or polenta over the base.
• Stir 2 tbsp of the strained plum juice and the almond extract into the plums. Spoon the filling into the pie dish, dotting the marzipan between the layers of plums as you go. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and place a baking sheet on the middle shelf.
• Top the pie with a lattice crust - follow the step-by-step images to see how to do this. First, arrange the pastry strips on top of your pie, with space between each one. Fold back alternate strips from the centre, then lay a strip across the middle, near the folds. Next, flip the folded strips back to cover the middle pastry strip. Fold back the strips that are woven under the middle piece. Finally, lay another strip across the middle, and flip alternate strips back again. Repeat until you have a woven pattern.
• Once covered, whisk the reserved egg white and brush over the pastry. Scatter with a little extra sugar, then place on the baking sheet and bake for 45 mins for a large pie, 35-40 mins for medium pies or 25-30 mins for mini pies, until golden and bubbling. Cool for 10 mins before serving with cream or ice cream.

EASY PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10-inch springform pan.
• Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and beat well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl and sift on top of the butter mixture. Mix to combine. Transfer batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth out.
• Set plums inside batter, cut-side up, and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven on the lowest rack until a skewer comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm or cool to room temperature.