Tarte Aux Pruneaux

This is a moderately complex tart, using pâte sablée and frangipane.

• 250g ready soaked prunes
• 50 ml armagnac (or brandy, etc)

Pastry:

• 110g butter
• 50g icing sugar
• 125g plain flour
• 0.5 tsp salt

Filling:

• 50g butter
• 50g caster sugar
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 50g ground almonds
• 1 tbs plain flour (15g?)

First, put the prunes in a bowl and cover with the armagnac. Leave for about 2 hours (or longer).

Turn the over on at 190C/375F.

To make the pastry, blend the butter and sugar until completely smooth; this will take around 3 minutes with an electric beater or food processor. Then stir in the (sifted) flour and salt. The result will be very soft, and with a little kneading (just squeeze in your hands a couple of times) will come together without any added water. There are two possible approaches to using this. Option one: put onto some plastic wrap and roughly spread out into a 9" disk, then cover and put into the fridge for 1 hour. Then roll out and put into a 9" pie dish or tart tin. Option two: put into your pie dish and spread out with your fingers, pushing it back together to cover any holes, and gently form it up the sides (this suggestion from Elizabeth David). Bake blind for 20 minutes (or longer) at 350-375F, until it is starting to turn golden all over. Whichever approach you choose, it isn’t at all easy to handle.

For the frangipane filling: blend the butter and sugar until smooth (again, will take a couple of minute with an electric whisk). Add the vanilla and egg, and blend in. Then add the ground almonds and flour, and mix in.

Put the frangipane into the pastry case and spread evenly; it helps if you have allowed time for the case to cool, but this isn’t essential. Place the prunes on top of the filling. Bake at 190C/375F for 30-40 minutes, until the frangipane has coloured to golden all over. Serve warm or cold (but not hot). You can put a couple of tablespoons of the armagnac that the prunes soaked in over the top and allow to soak in while cooling. You can also glaze the top with a couple of tablespoons of apricot jam that has been warmed in a small saucepan with a tablespoon of water - but I don’t think this is necessary.

Variations: some Tarte Aux Puneaux recipes use a basic custard instead of the frangipane (1-3 eggs beaten into 300ml/10 fl oz double cream, add some sugar), and a easier pastry is viable - if you must use store bought shortcrust, try to find a sweet variety. However, the main variations are in the type of fruit. Sticking with plums/prunes, use fresh plums that had been slightly stewed, or for very ripe ones uncooked - place halves cut side up. Other suitable fruit include, fairly obviously, apricots and peaches; less obviously, thinly sliced eating apples.