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Prune And Almond Tart

Until my move to France, I really didn’t feel one way or the other about prunes. But as I’ve traveled the country, I’ve discovered the wonders of this rich dried fruit. Something happens to the prunes in this tart as they bake, turning them into almost a sweet, compact candy. Be sure to make a good, strong tea (I used about one tablespoon of loose Earl Grey tea leaves to the two cups of water) for soaking the prunes.

Ingredients

  • 1 partially prebaked and cooled flaky sweet pastry shell
  • 2 cups strong black tea
  • 1 pound prunes, pitted

The cream filling:

  • ¼ cup whole unblanched almonds
  • 1 large egg, slightly beaten
  • 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons plum eau-de-vie or brandy
  • ¾ cup heavy cream

The garnish:

  • 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

      411 calories; 15 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 68 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 53 milligrams cholesterol; 124 milligrams sodium

      • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Eight servings

Preparation

  1. At least one hour before preparing the tart, pour the hot tea over the prunes and set aside to marinate.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  3. Prepare the cream filling. In a spice grinder or the bowl of a food processor, grind the almonds to a fine powder. Thoroughly blend the almonds with the egg, sugar, brandy and cream. The mixture should be very smooth.
  4. Thoroughly drain the prunes, discarding the soaking liquid. Carefully arrange the prunes in the cooled, prebaked tart shell. This will seem like a lot of prunes, and you may have to arrange them in two layers. Pour the cream filling over the prunes and place the tart in the center of the oven.
  5. Bake until the cream filling has set and the tart shell is nicely browned, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

1 hour 45 minutes

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