Prune & Armagnac Frangipane Tart
Jane Lovett
This very easy tart can be made entirely in a food-processor and freezes like a dream. An impressive ‘get ahead’ pudding to have up your sleeve, it’s also very good served with the Prune & Armagnac Ice Cream (in Just One Pan, page 236) – together they make a lovely pairing for festive Christmas eating, as well as entertaining. The light muscovado sugar gives a lovely caramel flavour and slightly softer texture to the frangipane.
ingredients
200g (about 30) semi-dried prunes
90ml Armagnac or brandy icing sugar, for dusting
crème fraîche or double cream, to serve
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225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
110g cold butter, diced
110g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
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170g butter, softened
170g light muscovado sugar
170g ground almonds
3 eggs
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 tablespoons Armagnac or brandy
3 egg yolks
directions
1. Put the prunes and Armagnac or brandy into a bowl and set aside to soak for 4 hours (or overnight), giving them the odd stir when you remember.
2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Find a loose-bottomed, 28cm round tart tin and a baking sheet.
3. Put all the pastry ingredients into a food-processor (see Hints & Tips), along with 1 tablespoon of cold water, and whizz together gently until everything just begins to come together into a crumbly ball. Tip onto a lightly floured worktop and knead lightly until it has formed a smooth-ish ball. Flatten it into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes (but if you work quickly, you won’t need to chill the pastry – see step 5).
4. Meanwhile, make the frangipane. Using the un-washed processor bowl (see Hints & Tips), briefly whizz all the frangipane ingredients together to make a smooth paste (but don’t worry if it curdles). Set aside.
5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured worktop as best you can, as it will be very short and crumbly, and use it to line the base and sides of the tart tin. It may fall apart, but it is very malleable, so you can just mould it into the tin using your fingers (treat it gently and don’t overwork it though).
6. Spoon the frangipane into the pastry case and smooth the surface. Drain the soaked prunes, then arrange them on top, not touching each other. Slide the tin onto the baking sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden and just set in the middle and darker around the edges.
7. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin until you are ready to serve, then remove and serve warm or at room temperature (it can also be served chilled), dusted with icing sugar. Serve with crème fraîche or double cream (or with ice cream – see intro).