WEEKEND PLUM TART WITH A BUTTERY LATTICE CRUST

This tender dough is easy to prepare by hand. My plums were fleshy but not overly soft, easy to slice, and during baking they melted into a wonderful tangy and aromatic filling.

🕒 Prep & Bake Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

🍽️ Servings: 6

Ingredients

Dough:

300 g all-purpose flour (BL55)
100 g fine granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
200 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
75 g sour cream (fermented)
1 egg yolk

Filling:

750 g plums, pitted and sliced
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Zest of 1/2 lemon or orange (or a mix of both)
50 g sugar
20 g cornstarch

Instructions

Remove butter from the fridge and let soften slightly at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
Add cubed butter and toss to coat in flour. Rub butter and flour together between your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some larger butter pieces remaining.
Mix sour cream with egg yolk, then add to the flour mixture. Knead gently until the dough is smooth and not sticky.
Divide dough into two equal parts. Flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare plums: pit and slice. If very ripe and soft, mix with filling ingredients just before assembling; if firmer, mix with cinnamon, cloves, zest, sugar, and cornstarch now to macerate slightly.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out one dough disk slightly larger than a 28 x 18 cm baking pan. The dough should rise just a little on the pan edges (rolling out to about 32 x 22 cm is fine).
Line the pan (lined with parchment paper) with the dough and refrigerate while rolling the second disk.
Roll out the second disk to the pan size. Cut into 1 cm wide strips using a pastry cutter.
Remove the pan with the first dough from the fridge. Spread the plum filling evenly over the base, arranging slices horizontally for better layering.

If dough becomes sticky while rolling, chill for 5-10 minutes and then continue.

Lay the dough strips over the filling in a lattice pattern.
Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 35 minutes, until the lattice is golden brown.
Immediately dust with vanilla powdered sugar. Best sliced when cooled. Warm it can be enjoyed but won’t slice cleanly. It tastes even better the next day with perfect slicing.

Serving Suggestions

Serve plain or with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an indulgent treat.

💡 Tips

Work quickly and keep dough cool for a tender, flaky crust.
Arrange plum slices carefully for even cooking and beautiful presentation.
Chilling dough when sticky prevents tearing and sticking during rolling.

📝 Final Thoughts

This plum tart combines a delicate, buttery crust with a vibrant, spiced plum filling that melts beautifully in the oven. It’s a perfect weekend dessert that gets better with time and is sure to delight family and friends.