Equipment
Ingredients
Pate Sucree (Sweet Pastry)
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 2 g salt
- 100 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 egg, beaten
- 15 ml water, ice cold
Marzipan Filling
- 150 g marzipan, roughly chopped
- 50 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 egg
- 15 g all-purpose flour
- 2 ml almond extract
Plum Topping and Glaze
- 500 g plums, halved and pitted
- 60 g apricot jam
- 15 ml water
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 403 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 52 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 28 g
- Sodium
- 121 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 87 mg
- Potassium
- 187 mg
- Calcium
- 33 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 25 mg
- Phosphorus
- 90 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 160 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 17 mcg
- Water
- 77 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a food processor, combine 200g all-purpose flour, 50g powdered sugar, and 2g salt. Pulse briefly. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add the beaten egg and pulse just until the dough begins to clump together. If it seems too dry, add ice water 5ml at a time until it comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a surface, gently gather into a smooth disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the chilled dough into a 3mm thick circle. Carefully transfer and press it into a 23cm tart pan. Trim the edges and chill for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Clean the food processor bowl. Add the chopped marzipan and room temperature butter, blending until completely smooth. Add the egg, 15g flour, and almond extract, blending until a cohesive paste forms.
Spread the marzipan filling evenly over the bottom of the chilled tart shell. Arrange the plum halves snugly in a circular pattern over the filling, cut side up, pressing them lightly into the marzipan.
Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the pastry edges are deep golden brown and the marzipan has puffed up around the bubbling, tender plums.
Transfer the tart to a wire rack. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before removing it from the tart pan.
In a small saucepan, gently warm the apricot jam and water over medium-low heat until fluid. Pass through a fine mesh strainer if chunky, then use a pastry brush to lightly coat the warm plums with the glaze.
Chef's Notes
- Using a high-quality marzipan containing at least 50 percent almonds is crucial for flavor and texture. Lower-grade marzipans rely heavily on sugar and will make the tart overly sweet and sticky.
- If your plums are particularly tart, you can sprinkle a tablespoon of demerara sugar over them before baking to aid caramelization and balance the acidity.
- The apricot glaze serves two purposes: it gives the tart a professional, glossy finish, and it seals the fruit to prevent it from drying out as it sits.
- For the crispest base, bake this tart on a preheated baking tray or pizza stone. This delivers an immediate burst of heat to the bottom of the pan, sealing the pastry before the plum juices can penetrate it.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The pastry will soften over time.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze slices tightly wrapped. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat slices in a 150C/300F oven for 5-8 minutes to crisp the base.
Troubleshooting
Pastry shrinks down the sides of the pan during baking
Cause: The dough was overworked or not chilled adequately before baking.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but the tart will still taste excellent.
Prevention: Ensure the dough is resting in the fridge for the full time stated. Do not stretch the dough when transferring it to the tart pan; gently ease it into the corners.
Tart has a soggy bottom
Cause: Plums released excessive moisture, or the oven lacked enough bottom heat.
Fix: Return to the lowest rack of the oven for 5-10 extra minutes with only bottom heat if your oven allows.
Prevention: Ensure plums are firm-ripe, not mushy. Bake the tart on a preheated baking steel or pizza stone placed on the lowest oven rack.
Marzipan filling is lumpy
Cause: The marzipan was too cold or not processed enough with the butter before adding the egg.
Fix: Push the mixture through a sturdy mesh sieve before spreading.
Prevention: Ensure butter and eggs are at room temperature. Process the marzipan and butter completely smooth before proceeding.
Cultural Context
The fruit tart is a cornerstone of classic French patisserie, celebrating seasonal produce with a delicate architectural balance of crust, cream, and fruit. By utilizing marzipan blended into a quick frangipane-style cream, this recipe nods to the traditional 'Tarte aux Prunes' often found in the bakeries of Alsace, where almonds and stone fruits share a deep historical and agricultural synergy.
