Barefoot Contessas Plum Tart Recipes

PLUM CAKE "TATIN"

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the plums in the dish, cut side down.
• Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Swirl the pan but don't stir. Pour evenly over the plums.
• Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.
• Pour the cake batter evenly over the plums and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. If a plum sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

PLUM OATMEAL CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, oats, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until coarse crumbs form.
• In a shallow 2-quart baking dish, toss plums with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon flour; sprinkle with oat topping. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until topping is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before serving.

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.)

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S PLUM TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, walnuts, and sugar in a large bowl.
• Add the butter and the egg yolk.
• Mix, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until crumbly.
• Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch springform or tart pan.
• Arrange the plums in the pan, skin side down, to form a flower pattern; begin at the outside and work your way inches
• Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums.
• Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling.
• Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the pan and transfer the tart to a flat plate.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.
• **Cooling time is not included in cooking time.

RUSTIC GINGER PLUM TART

Steps:

• For the dough: Combine the flour, salt and butter in a large bowl. Using a bench scraper or pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is pea-sized. Slowly add the ice water, folding it into the flour until a dough comes together, being mindful not to overwork it. (If the dough is too dry, add another tablespoon of ice water at a time.) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and form it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 1/8-inch-thick circle. Then roll it up onto the rolling pin and gently lay it out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• For the filling: In the center of the rolled out dough, add the plums and sprinkle them with the brown sugar, ginger, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, flour and butter. Fold the edges of the dough over to create a rough border; it doesn¿t have to be perfect, just good enough to form a wall. Brush the edges with milk and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
• Bake until the filling is bubbling and thickened, and the crust is golden brown, 45 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

PLUM CAKE " TATIN" BAREFOOT CONTESSA - INA GARTEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F; generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the plums in the dish, cut side down.
• Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees on a candy thermometer. Swirl the pan but don't stir. Pour evenly over the plums.
• Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and beat in the eggs one at a time.
• Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.
• Pour the cake batter evenly over the plums and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate.
• If a plum sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake.
• Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

INA GARTEN FRESH FRUIT TART

Steps:

• To make crust combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor or bowl. Cut butter into 1/4 inch pieces and add into food processor or bowl. If using a food processor pulse about 10 times until butter forms small bits, if using a pastry cutter and bowl then cut dough until small bits form. Add ice water and continue processing/cutting until the dough comes together. Shape the dough into a disc shape and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and then roll the dough into a large circle. Place dough into your 10 inch tart pan with removable bottom, cutting off excess dough with sharp knife. Line the dough with foil and fill with rice or dried beans. Bake the tart crust for 10 minutes and then remove the foil and beans or rice. Prick the crust with a fork and bake for another 20 minutes.
• Using electric mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer beat egg yolks and sugar on medium-high for about 3 minutes until mixture is light yellow. Beat in cornstarch on low speed.
• Bring milk to a simmer in saucepan and slowly pour warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking steadily. Then pour mixture back into saucepan. Cook over medium heat while stirring constantly with a whisk until mixture is think, about 4 minutes. Bring to a boil, then bring heat to low and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Remove from heat. Mix in butter, vanilla, cream and cognac.
• Pour through strainer and into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly onto custard and refrigerate until cold.
• Put baked tart shell on serving plate. Assemble tart by spreading pastry cream over tart crust. Place prepared fruit slices casually on top of custard.
• If you choose to use an apricot glaze melt jelly with 1 T water in a small saucepan and brush over fruit.

ITALIAN PLUM TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a sheet pan. Place the plums, tapioca, creme de cassis, and 3/4 cup of the sugar in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and remaining 1 cup of sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until it forms small, dry crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of cold water and continue to beat for about 30 seconds, until the mixture forms large, moist crumbs. Set aside 3/4 cup of the crumb mixture and pour the rest into the springform pan. With floured hands, lightly pat the dough evenly in the bottom of the pan and 1 inch up the sides. Arrange the plums in concentric circles on the crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly on top. Bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the crust is golden. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.

PLUM TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, walnuts, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and the egg yolk. Mix, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until crumbly.
• Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch springform or tart pan. Arrange the plums in the pan, skin side down, to form a flower pattern; begin at the outside and work your way in.
• Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums. Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer the tart to a flat plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.