Puff Pastry Plum Tart

If you love almond croissants and plums, you have to try these Puff Pastry Plum Tarts. Made with flaky puff pastry, frangipane, sliced almonds, and tart plums, they’re incredibly easy to make and so delicious!

What types of plums should you use for baking?

There isn’t really one right answer but for me these plum bars are best with Italian prune plums. However, they can be difficult to find and somewhat expensive especially in the US so you can substitute other plum varieties, simply note they make take longer for the moisture to cook out.

What is frangipane?

Frangipane is a mixture of butter, sugar, egg, ground almonds and sometimes almond extract, vanilla and salt. It is the same filling that is used in almond croissants.

Can you make puff pastry tarts the day before.

Technically these can be made in advance but they really taste best if you make them day of. They only take about 45 minutes to an hour so if possible I recommend baking them fresh. If needed, re-crisp by baking for 5-10 minutes in a 375 F until crispy but not too dark.

What can I use instead of plums?

Apricots, peaches or even a mixture of berries would be a delicious alternative to the plums used in these plum and almond tarts.

Tips for Plum Bars

• If you’re using another type of plums, you may need to cut them into 1/2″ slices and layer them on top of the frangipane.
• This recipe can be easily doubled just use one whole egg instead of two egg yolks in the frangipane filling.
• There should be quite a bit of frangipane filling, just be sure to pile it up vertically, don’t spread it over the pastry frame border.
• The puff pastry should be a solid golden brown, if you underbake the pastry, the bottoms will be soft and the sides will collapse after baking. If needed bake for another 5 minutes.
• Be careful when making the almond simple syrup, it will get quite hot in the microwave so handle with pot holders and don’t ever microwave for more than 20 seconds.

Additional Cake Recipes to try!

• Plum Upside Down Cake
• Plum Bars with Oat Streusel
• German Plum Rolls

Ingredients

• Italian Prune Plums: Also known as italian plums, blue plums, or sometimes even purple plums, these are a very specific type of plum used in German baking that is only in season for a brief time. However, regular plums will work too they just need to be cut into more wedges or slices that you lay down flat.
• Butter: Unsalted butter, that is quite soft, almost melted, is best for the frangipane filling.
• Granulated sugar: White sugar is used in both the frangipane and the simple syrup.
• Egg yolk: I use standard large eggs from the store, it’s best if the egg yolk is at room temperature. If doubling the recipe use one complete egg rather than two egg yolks.
• Vanilla & Almond extracts: Both extracts are used to flavor the frangipane and only almond extract is used for the simple syrup.
• Almond Flour or Ground Almonds: Either almond flour or ground almonds will work for the frangipane filling. I recommend storing extra in the fridge to keep it fresh.
• Puff Pastry: Store bought or homemade puff pastry will work for this recipe. I usually use frozen store bought puff pastry because it is easier and saves time! My favorite brand is Dufour Puff Pastry but Pepperidge Farms Puff pastry works great too!
• Heavy Cream: A little heavy cream is used to stick the sliced almonds to the puff pastry, an egg wash would work as well but you will have leftover egg.
• Sliced Almonds: Sliced almonds add a nice crunch and flavor to the tarts. Be sure to used raw, sliced almonds and not slivered almonds.

How to make Plum Tarts

• Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• Place a rack in the center of the oven and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.

Prepare the Plums

• Rinse and dry all of the plums.
• Cut the plums in half following the crack. Twist the two halves apart and then cut the half that still has the pit in half in the same direction. Twist again to separate and then pull out the pit.
• Repeat with all plums, and cut the remaining half in half again. Each plum should now be cut into 4 wedges.
• If using regular plums you may need to cut them into eighths as they are a bit bigger.

Frangipane

• In a medium mixing bowl, add in the very soft butter, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Whisk to combine until smooth.
• Pour in the ground almonds and stir to combine – set aside until ready to assemble.

Almond Simple Syrup

• In a microwave safe measuring cup, combine 65 milliliters of water with 50 grams of granulated sugar. Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until all of the sugar has dissolved.
• Stir in 1 teaspoon of almond extract.
• Set aside until the tarts have baked.

Assemble & Bake

• Defrost 1 sheet of puff pastry. If there are creases in your pastry roll it out gently to get rid of the creases and make sure all areas are pliable and the same thickness.
• Cut the sheet of pastry into quarters.
• On each square of pastry make 4 long cuts, each 1″ in from the edge. Two adjacent cuts should connect and the opposite two should connect. However, there corners in between the two sets that connect, should stay in tact.
• Essentially you are cutting a 1″ frame but two opposing corners should stay intact connecting the frame to the center piece.
• Brush the 1″ frame with a little water, I usually use my finger for this part. Pick up one corner of the frame (where the corners connect) and fold it over the center piece. Line the corner up with the opposing corner of the center piece and press down gently.
• Repeat with the opposing connected corner.
• Carefully place each of the four tarts on the parchment lined baking sheet.
• Evenly divide the frangipane into the centers of the tarts, spread into an even layer inside of the frame. It will seem like a lot of filling and should be tall but don’t let it reach over the pastry frame.
• Brush the frames with heavy cream and then sprinkle on the sliced almonds.
• Place 5-6 wedges of plums in two rows onto the frangipane centers, stagger them so more will fit.
• Place in the preheated oven to bake for 15 minutes. After the timer goes off, rotate the pan 180 degrees. Then bake for another 15 minutes until slightly golden brown on top.
• Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
• Brush the plums with the almond simple syrup.
• Allow the tarts to cool for at least 10 minutes and then dust with powdered sugar.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container.
• To re-crisp, heat the oven to 375 F and bake for 5-10 minutes until the pastry has become crisp again.

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