Jude Blereau

Presented in 2011

A rustic tart of late-season plums

Serves 6–8

This is one of the simplest desserts to make, and one of the most delicious. It has lots of fruit and only a small amount of pastry.

Pastry

180 g (6¼ oz) cold unsalted butter, chopped

300 g (10½ oz/2 cups) unbleached plain (all-purpose) flour (wheat or spelt)

1½ tablespoons golden caster (superfine) sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

100–220 ml (3½–7²/₃ fl oz) ice-cold water

Filling

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) (measured with stones in) plums

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

1½–2 tablespoons raw sugar or maple syrup (taste your fruit first and see how sweet it is, remembering there is sugar in the pastry)

1½ tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch) or flour

To make the pastry, using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour and sugar until it is incorporated into the flour, but still quite chunky. The chunks do need to be small, but it is quite okay if some of them are a little smaller than a kidney bean. If using a food processor, pulse one or two times or until ready and turn out into a bowl. Don’t be tempted to add the water to the food processor as it is too easy to overwork the pastry.

Using a butter knife, begin to mix the cold water into the flour and butter. This is the step most people need to keep practising — you will never use the same amount of water twice as it depends on the freshness of the flour, the humidity on the day, the temperature and if any of your butter has melted. The idea is to add a small amount of water and begin to cut and mix it in with the knife. As you continue to add the water, little bit by little bit, you are cutting the wet bits into the dry bits, cutting, mixing and stirring. You use only as much water as you need. By cutting the wet dough into the dry bits, you avoid using too much water (another reason for tough pastry). Once all the mix looks moist, bring it together into a ball, DO NOT KNEAD OR PLAY WITH IT. Flatten the ball, wrap and chill long enough to take the softness out of the butter, about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

To make the filling, cut the plums into your desired size — halves or quarters depending on the size of the plums — and place in a bowl. Add the cinnamon, vanilla paste, sugar or maple syrup and cornflour and toss through gently.

Roll out the pastry to approximately a 30–35 cm (12–14 inch) diameter circle. Fold and move the pastry to the baking tray and unfold. Depending on the size of the tray, it may overhang the sides a little, which is fine. If the weather is very hot, you may need to give it a couple of minutes in the fridge.

To make the tart, the pastry should be chilled but not so firm that you can’t fold the sides inward. Either arrange the prepared fruit in an attractive pattern, or simply pile it into the middle and gently spread to leave a border of approximately 8 cm (3¼ inches). Fold the pastry border over the fruit, peeling it from the paper underneath as you go. Sprinkle with a little extra golden caster sugar if desired. If required, trim the sides of the baking paper to fit the tray.

Bake for 15–20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4) and bake for another 35 minutes or until the pastry is light golden and the juices are bubbling. Don’t be worried if the juices look too watery, they will thicken as they cool a little.