If you love plums then you'll love this delicious Plum and Hazelnut Crumb Tart. It's full ripe juicy plums with a little sugar added for sweetness and fresh vanilla beans for a wonderful flavor combination. Read on to learn how to make this tasty plum tart.
I had originally planned to make the Apricot and Hazelnut Crumb Tart from Bake Feed magazine. I'd made before I started my blog, loved it and based on memory decided to add it to the blog. I found great tasting apricots, sweet and tart at the same time and was excited about the final product. Well, something went wrong, don't know what, but the final product was so bitter that my husband asked for mouthwash after he tasted it.
Now we are the end of apricot season, but I decided to try it again right away, since the crust is easy to make. I rushed over to Whole Foods, was excited to see that they had apricots and bought just enough for the recipe. I had the crust in the freezer ready to go. But as I started cutting up the fruit I noticed that it had a weird brown color where the pit was nestled. The color made me suspicious so I tasted the fruit and it had absolutely no flavor - none, nada. I decided not to waste a perfectly good tart crust on such horrible tasting fruit. By the time I went to the Farmer's Market, no one had apricots, the season was over.
Plum Tart
What to do with this beautiful hazelnut crust sitting in my freezer. Since I had planned to make a plum dessert for the blog. I decided to make a Plum and Hazelnut Crumb Tart instead. The plums in the store are perfect. Delicious, sweet, tart and multi-color. I used dark plums for this tart, but use your favorite plums or plucots. And the taste of the hazelnut and plums are such a delicious combination.
How to Make the Hazelnut Dough
I love this Hazelnut dough. Hazelnuts are one of my favorite nuts and I use them any chance that I get. I love this dough because it is so easy to make and tastes amazing. If you prefer and depending on what you have on hand you can make this dough with pecans too. I have not tried it with walnuts because I am allergic to them.
The hazelnut dough is made in a food processor. The final recipe is an adaption of the original recipe from Bakefeed. I added cinnamon and nutmeg to the crust, which was perfect with the hazelnuts. I also changed the method for adding the egg, so that the dough stayed a little more crumbly, not as sticky, and easier to press into the pan.
Right before your press the dough into the pan, coat your hands with flour, so the dough wouldn't stick to your fingers as much. After the dough is pressed into the pan it should be about 2-inches high and 1/4 inch thick. Freeze the dough for about 1 hour before filling with plums and baking.
How to Make The Plum Filling
The plum filling could not be easier. Cut the plums into quarters or into six pieces depending on their size. Combine the dry ingredients (except the hazelnuts) and then sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the sugar-cornstarch mixture on the bottom of the tart crust dough. Arrange the plums on top either in a spiral pattern by placing them on their side or just pour them into the springform pan and make sure they are evenly spread ou. Sprinkle the remaining sugar-cornstarch mixture over the plums. Add the reserved crumb topping on top and then sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.
The Final Bake
Follow the remaining instructions for baking the tart. Let it cool completely before serving so the juices have time to set. This tart is great by itself or served with ice cream or whipped cream.
If you make this plum tart please let me know what you think or tag me on Instagram @bakesbybrownsugar.
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Equipment
Ingredients
Hazelnut Tart Dough
- 1 1/3 cups (151 grams) toasted hazelnuts
- 2/3 cup (80 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (227 grams) cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1 large egg 50 grams
- 1 tablespoon cold water
Plum Filling
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
- 2 pounds (908 grams) fresh plums quartered
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) chopped toasted hazelnuts optional
Instructions
Instructions
For the Hazelnut Tart Dough
- In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse together the hazelnuts and confectioners’ sugar until combined.
- Add the flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and pulse until combined. Add the cold butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Pour the egg mixture over the surface of the flour-hazelnut mixture in the food processor. Pulse until the dough just starts to come together but is still a little crumbly.
- Reserve 1 cup (235 grams) of the hazelnut mixture for the topping. Place it in a bowl or wrap it in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Pour the rest of the hazelnut mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Place about 2 tablespoons of flour on a piece of wax paper. Pat your fingers in the flour and then press the hazelnut dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- The springform pan I used is 3 1/4-inches high. Press the dough 2-inches up the side of the pan. It should be about 1/4-inch thick.
- Freeze the tart shell until firm, about 1 hour. This tart shell can sit in the freezer overnight. Place the 1 cup of reserved hazelnut mixture in the refrigerator.
For the Plum Filling
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and vanilla bean seeds and rub together with your fingertips. Stir in the salt and the cornstarch; set aside.
- Roughly chop 1/4 cup of hazelnuts and set aside.
- Cut smaller plums into quarters and larger plums into 6 pieces. Starting from the outside edge, arrange the plums on their side, in tight concentric circles. They should be tightly packed. Sprinkle the plums with the sugar-cornstarch mixture. Crumble the reserved hazelnut mixture over the plums. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.
- Place the pan on a rimmed baking tray (in case of leakage). Bake until the hazelnut topping is a deep golden brown and fruit is bubbly, 50 to 60 minutes. Cover the pan with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary.
- Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan. Remove the ring and serve at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream.
Maureen Frye says
Ii have some hazelnut flour I would like to use up. Since we have a weight,could I use it for the crust?