Servings: 6 - 8

Level of difficulty: intermediate

Preparation Time: 45 mins

Cooking Time: 35 - 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Pastry

6oz (175g) plain flour
5oz (150g) chilled butter – diced
7 tablespoons of sour cream


Filling

2oz (50g) butter
2oz (50g) golden caster sugar
2 eggs – lightly beaten
4oz (100g) ground almonds
3-4 drops of almond essence
1 ½ lbs (700g) of plums - quartered and stoned
4 ripe figs – quartered

To finish – Plum or Redcurrant jelly.

Method

Make the pastry by putting the flour in a food processor. Add the butter and whiz for 2 seconds. Add the soured cream and whiz for a couple more seconds until the dough just begins to come together.

Turn the pastry onto a floured board and knead lightly until the pastry comes together. It will be crumbly to start with. Cover and chill for half an hour

Now make the filling – beat the butter in a bowl until soft, then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs alternately with the almonds. Add the almond extract, then cover and leave aside.

Roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch round, then transfer to a large baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Spread the almond mixture on top, leaving about 1 ¼ inch border of pastry around the edge.

Scatter over the plums and figs and then fold the edges of the pastry up over the fruit.

Dust with sugar, and chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 220c or Mk7.

Cook the tart for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

Leave the tart on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to harden up, then slide onto your serving dish.

Warm the plum or redcurrant jelly and brush over the top of the tart.

Serve with the Crème Fraiche that has been sweetened with a little sugar and flavoured with vanilla extract. Or even better…sweeten with vanilla sugar.