The Prune Tart recipe is a where lusciously plump California prunes tango with a nutty frangipane filling inside a buttery, golden crust. The tart is baked until the frangipane (also known as almond cream) is golden brown and the prunes have melted into a sweet tart jammy texture. This tart is simple to make, but looks beautiful and will definitely impress your family and friends.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Tart
- Prune Tart Ingredients
- Tart Crust
- Prune and Frangipane Filling
- How to Make the Prune Tart
- How to Make Tart Crust
- How to Make the Prune and Frangipane Filling
- How Do You Know When Frangipane Is Cooked
- How to Store
- Variations
- Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- If You Like This Recipe, Try These Recipes
- Prune Tart with Frangipane
This tart is made in partnership with California Prunes, which produces 99% of prunes in the United States. Prunes are one of my favorite snack foods, but they are also great to bake with. They add a lot of flavor to desserts as in these recipes for Prune Clafoutis and Prune Bread Pudding. Or you can use them to replace some of the sugar in your recipes as with these Cranberry Orange Bundt Cakes.
However, you choose to use them, California Prunes will add a delectable sweet tart flavor to your next dish, dessert, or drink recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Tart
- Naturally sweet: Prunes bring a symphony of natural sweetness to this dessert, balanced by the almondy frangipane, for the perfect amount of sweetness that your taste buds will adore.
- Exciting new fruit filling: Move over berries and apples, prunes take center stage with their complex, jammy flavor and chewy texture, creating a unique and unforgettable dessert experience.
- Effortlessly elegant: This beauty impresses without breaking a sweat. No fancy ingredients, just simple perfection that will wow your guests and family alike.
Prune Tart Ingredients
Use a clear shot of the ingredients for this recipe, prepped, and labeled if necessary. Insert the ingredients into the list below, omitting quantities.
Tart Crust
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the dough.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to the dough and helps the dough come together quickly.
- Unsalted Butter: Use butter that tastes good because the flavor will be prominent in the final crust.
- Ground Cinnamon: The cinnamon flavor goes really well with the almond and prune filling
- Unsalted Kosher: The salt balances and elevates all the other flavors
Prune and Frangipane Filling
- California Prunes: The prunes are the other main ingredient in this delicious tart. Use tarts that are plump, moist, and soft, and practically melt in your mouth when you bite into them.
- Earl Grey Tea: The prunes are rehydrated in the tea. Earl grey tea has a floral, citrusy taste to it that complements the sweetness and tartness of the prunes.
- Almond Flour: Almond flour is the main ingredient. It is made up of finely ground almonds. Almond flour can go bad, so check the expiration date on the bag and store an opened bag in the refrigerator or freezer. I recommend using Bob’s Red Mill superfine almond flour.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds creaminess and flavor to the frangipane.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps the frangipane to brown as it bakes. You can also use light brown sugar.
- Large Eggs: The eggs help the frangipane to puff up and set as it bakes.
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour: This little bit of flour provides the right amount of gluten and structure for the filling.
- Almond Extract: Almond extract boosts the almond flavor of the frangipane.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: The vanilla extract adds a lovely flavor to the frangipane. You can also use almond extract.
- Kosher Salt: The salt balances out the sweetness of the frangipane.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make the Prune Tart
I loved testing the recipe for this tart. It is so good and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
The recipe starts with making an easy press-in cookie crust. Honestly it couldn’t be easier and I use it for several of my tarts recipes.
How to Make Tart Crust
Step 1: Melt the butter. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine. Set the dry ingredients aside.
Step 2: Add the hot melted butter to the dry ingredients and stir together with a silicone spatula until no white bits of flour remain.
Step 3: While the dough is still warm a portion of the dough into the sides of the tart pan. Once that is done press the remaining dough into the bottom of the pan.
Make sure the dough around the edges of the pan is of even thickness.
Step 4: Take a dry measuring cup and use the bottom and straight side of the cup to smooth the bottom and sides of the dough.
Step 5: Prick the crust with the tines of a fork. This step will keep the crust from rising too much as it bakes. The holes will allow the steam to escape.
Step 6: Bake the crust for 25-30 minutes until it is a light golden brown. The crust must be thoroughly baked to ensure it doesn't fall apart from the weight and moisture of the frangipane.
Remove the tart crust from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes before adding the prune and frangipane filling.
How to Make the Prune and Frangipane Filling
Step 7: Pour hot Earl Grey tea over the prunes and let them hydrate for 20-30 minutes.
Step 8: Drain the prunes and use your hand or the back of a large spoon to press the extra liquid out of the prunes.
Step 9: For the frangipane filling, combine the butter, sugar, and salt. Mix the ingredients together until smooth.
Step 10: Add the beaten egg and mix together until the eggs are fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract and almond extract.
Step 11: Sift the almond flour and flour into the wet ingredients. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until all the ingredients are well combined.
Step 12: Spread the prunes over the bottom of the tart crust.
Step 13: Spread the frangipane (almond cream) over the prunes, making sure to fill in any gaps between the prunes.
Step 14: Sprinkle the almond slices over the frangipane topping.
Step 15: Bake the tart for 35 minutes until the frangipane light golden brown and is firm to the touch in the center.
Remove the prune tart from the oven and let it cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
How Do You Know When Frangipane Is Cooked
Frangipane is cooked when it is puffed up and golden around the edges. The center should just begin to set with just a little bit of give when you press it with your index finger.
If the frangipane is undercooked, it will have a soft and soggy texture in the center.
How to Store
- Room Temperature. The baked tart can be stored at room temperature for 2 days.
- Refrigerator. Store the tart in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Variations
The almond flour can be replaced with hazelnut flour or pecan flour. For a gluten-free frangipane replace the 2 tablespoons of flour with a gluten-free flour.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Weigh the ingredients. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and unsalted butter for the tart crust. Weighing the ingredients will ensure the crust is neither too crumbly nor too soft and the almond cream has the perfect texture.
- Sift the almond flour. Almond flour tends to clump because of the amount of fat in this nut. If you don't sift the almond flour the frangipane will have large lumps in it and the almond flour won't be fully mixed in.
- Taste the prunes before using them in the tart. They should have a sweet-tart flavor and be very soft.
- Don’t overbake the tart. Overbaking the tart will cause the frangipane filling to become a little dry. Watch the color of the frangipane and the time.
If you make this recipe please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Prune Tart with Frangipane
Equipment
Ingredients
Tart Crust
- 1 1/3 cups (189 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons (63 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter melted
Prune and Frangipane Filling
- 284 grams (10 ounces) pitted prunes cut in half
- 1 cup Earl Grey tea boiling hot
- 7 tablespoons (100 grams) unsalted butter softened (70-72°F)
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 grams) finely ground almond flour Bob’s Red Mill recommended
- 2 tablespoons (16 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds toasted
Instructions
For the Tart Crust
- Adjust 1 oven rack to the middle position in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Add melted butter and stir and with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until a dough forms and there are no bits of flour left.
- With your hands, press two-thirds of dough into the bottom of 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the remaining dough into the fluted sides of the pan. Press and smooth the dough with your hands to even thickness.
- Place pan on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the middle rack, until crust is deep golden brown and firm to touch, 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool to room temperature before adding the almond cream. If making one day in advance, allow it to cool completely and then cover it with a plastic wrap.
For the Prune and Frangipane Filling
- While the tart is baking, place the prunes in a bowl and pour the hot tea over the halved prunes. Let the prunes hydrate until the tart shell comes out of the over.
- Drain the prunes, and press against them with your hand or the back of a large spoon to remove as much liquid as possible.
- Place the butter, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients together with a wooden smooth just until the ingredients are combined and the mixture looks smooth.
- Beat the eggs together in a small bowl then add the eggs and vanilla extract to the sugar-butter mixture. Mix together until the eggs are incorporated.
- Sift the all-purpose flour and the almond flour into the mixing bowl using a coarse mesh strainer. Fold the flours in the batter until well combined. The frangipane will be somewhat stiff and look a little grainy from the almond flour.
- Store the frangipane in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use and for up to 4 days.
Assemble the Tart
- Spread the prunes over the bottom of the tart shell. Next spread the frangipane filling over the prunes, making sure to fill the gaps in between the prunes.
- Sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds over the frangipane.
- Place the tart on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the middle rack. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the frangipane filling is light golden brown on top and the center feels slightly firm to the touch when you lightly press down on it with the tip of your finger. The other way to test for doneness is to use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of the frangipane in the center. It should register 180-185°F.
- Let the tart cool to room temperature and sift a little powdered sugar on top for decoration.
Storage
- The tart is good at room temperature stored in a container for up to 2 days. After that it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but it is best eaten within the first 2 days.
Wade says
Good and good for you