When I was little, my grandfather prided himself on being able to fit an entire plum in his mouth, squish it around between his teeth and cheeks, and simply spit out the seed. We thought it was a great trick, and we were pretty sure this was the way he won my grandmother’s heart (Don’t we all fall for those charming, immature parlor tricks?)
Pick your Plum
There seems to more and more plum varieties on the market these days, and they come in all shapes and colors. My grandfather would not have known which one to select.
So it would be difficult for me to tell you which type of plum to choose for this Plum Tart with Mascarpone, Cane Syrup & Honey Glaze recipe. There are now pluots, which are a hybrid of both plums and apricots, or apriums, which are a hybrid of apricots and plums. What’s the difference? Not much. Just buy what is fresh and fragrant in the produce aisle. Those are always the best. I used rose apriums for the golden colored tart, and black plums for the darker tart pictured below.
And of course, peaches and nectarines would work beautifully with this recipe. No adjustments needed, simply follow the recipe as written. Again, use what looks best.
Plums, Peaches, Cherries & Almonds = Cousins
Did you know that cherries, apricots, peaches, plums and almonds are all members of the Prunus genus? What that means is that they come from the same original plant, and through natural or human selection, they turned into the summer fruits we know today. That’s why you can combine plums with apricots, or peaches. They are plant cousins, but as opposed to humans, that is not a weird situation. It is delicious.
Try this plum tart with any summer fruit. It may seems like a lot of steps, but frankly I think this plum tart is easier to make than a regular old pie. Less mess than rolling out crist, you simply press the crust dough into your pan.
If you can’t find cane syrup, just substitute molasses for a more distinct flavor, or honey for a more…er…honeyed flavor.
I hope you enjoy this tart as much as my grandfather enjoyed entertaining us with his plum trick.
Plum Tart with Mascarpone, Cane Syrup & Honey Glaze
- Prep Time: 30 minutea
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups flour
¼ cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Filling:
8 oz. mascarpone cheese
¼ cup dark cane syrup
1 egg
1 ¼ lbs. fresh plums, washed, pits removed and sliced
2 oz. melted butter
Glaze:
2 tbsp. orange liqueur
Juice of ½ fresh lime
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the inside bottom of an 11” tart pan. Place the paper in the pan, and spray the inside rim with vegetable spray, or coat with vegetable oil. Set aside.
Crust: Using an electric mixer, combine the crust ingredients until you have a mixture that resembles pebbles and sand. Press the mixture into your prepared tart pan, making sure to press the crust mixture up the sides of the pan.
Filling: Make the filling by combining the mascarpone cheese, cane syrup and egg in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Spread the cheese mixture over the prepared crust in the pan, and smooth so that the filling is evenly spread. Arrange the sliced plums on top. Drizzle the melted butter over the pastry and use a pastry brush to gently extend the butter over the fruit. Place the tart in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Once the tart filling seems firm, remove the tart from the oven, and allow to cool completely.
Glaze: Whisk together the glaze ingredients, and drizzle over the tart right before serving
Hi Melissa
My name is Carmen, and I love to bake pies and tarts. I was intrigued by your plum tart with mascarpone cheese. I followed the recipe for the crust and found it to be rather dry and not able to really press it into the tart pan. Did you mean to add ice water or a little vinegar to the flour mixture before pressing it into the pan? Not sure if we’re missing an ingredient or technique. I would appreciate your instruction to clarify this delightful recipe. 🙂
Hey there, sorry for the terribly late response to your message, I had surgery and have been rather slow at work. Flour is a funny thing because sometimes it can hold extra moisture, and sometimes it can be drier with a dry climate. There is always a little wiggle room on the amount of liquid. Adding a bit more water or vinegar is the way to go. Pie crust is always “add one spoonful at a time until it looks right” sort of technique. Your instincts were correct! Again, I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. Happy Thanksgiving!
MG