My obsession with plums after making some green gage jam earlier this summer has remained unabated, I was so excited to find these local prune plums. Some crystallized ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla for a classic pairing, then a pinch of black cardamom and star anise added a little mystery. Going all out with not only a pie crust but also a crumble topping gave it a flaky base with a delightfully chewy texture on top. When it came out of the oven, it was all bubbly and the plums had softened into a delightfully sweet-tart treat. Break open the cardamom pods to remove the seeds. The vanilla bean is sliced lengthwise with the tip of a sharp paring knife to expose the seeds inside. Scrape them out and use the remaining pod for vanilla sugar or for warmed milk in your favorite pudding recipe.
- 8 tablespoons, softened at room temperature
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon heavy cream, sour cream, or crème fraîche
- 6 prune plums, cut in half lengthwise and pitted
- 2 tablespoons raw sugar
- Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch ground black cardamom seed
- Pinch ground star anise
- ½ cup quick oats
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ cup raw sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Cream the butter, sugar and salt in an electric mixer.
- Add the egg yolk and beat to combine. Add the flour in 3 parts, beating to combine each time.
- Add the cream and beat to combine.
- Divide onto plastic wrap, form a disk and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the plums in a medium mixing bowl.
- Combine the sugar, vanilla bean seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise in a small bowl and mix together with a fork, pressing the vanilla seeds into the sugar to break them up.
- Add to the plums and stir to coat with the sugar.
- Combine the oats, flour, sugar, butter, ginger, and salt in a medium mixing bowl (I use the bowl I made the dough in to save on dish washing). Press the ingredients together with your fingertips until the the mixture has combined into large crumbles.
- Roll out the crust to fit your tart pan. Place in the pan and form the sides.
- Place the plums in the tart shell, cut side up in a single layer.
- Spread the topping over the top of the plums in an even layer, tucking some between the plums.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
- Cool on a baking rack. Serve at room temperature.
No prune plums? How about cherries. Or dried apricots, soaked in warmed brandy for 15 minutes. Or peaches, apples, pears, raspberries, blueberries…
-Sheila
