Top off your weekend with this yummy Plum-and-Cherry Tart

After Van Riebeeck’s arrival, a plethora of fruit trees were planted, and soon, Cape housewives gained renown for their exquisite fruit tarts, adorned with seasonal fruits atop a delicate pastry base. Following the settlement of the French Huguenots, the Olifantshoek region (now Franschhoek Valley) flourished with fruit trees, including almonds and almond flour, becoming staples in everyday cooking.

Frangipane, a sweet almond filling, became a common ingredient in various pastries. Accompanied by sweet wine, known as “soetsopies,” and homemade liqueurs infused with herbs, spices, and seasonal fruits, these culinary traditions flourished.

La Motte presents a recipe for a delectable plum-and-cherry tart, featuring a buttery pastry, luscious frangipane, and a delightful balance of fruity tartness.

Ingredients

Almond sweet pastry:

• 120 g butter (soft)
• 90 g icing sugar
• 15 g ground almonds
• 1 egg
• 60 g cake-flour
• 180 g cake-flour

Method

1. Cream the butter, icing sugar, ground almonds and cake flour together.
2. Add the egg and incorporate well.
3. Add the cake-flour and mix until a dough is formed.
4. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Frangipani

• 100 g butter (room temperature)
• 100 g castor sugar
• 100 g ground almonds
• 2 eggs
• 10 g cake-flour
• 5 ml mixed spice

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar together well until light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time making sure to incorporate each egg very well before adding the next one.
2. Add the almonds, cake-flour and mixed spice and mix well.

Plum-and-cherry filling:

• 8 – 12 red plums (depending on the size of the tart shell), halved, pips removed
• 100 g pitted cherries
• 100 ml cinnamon-and-vanilla sugar stock

Method

1. Preheat a tray in the oven at 220 °C, toss the plums in half of the sugar stock, remove the tray from the oven and place the plums, flesh side down, on the hot tray and place back in the oven for 5 minutes.
2. Remove plums from the tray and place onto silicone paper immediately. Toss the cherries in the remainder of the syrup before placing in the tart. Reserve the syrup for glazing after baking.

Assembly

1. Roll out the sweet pastry on a lightly floured surface to approximately 3 mm thick. Line a greased tart pan of your choice (loose bottomed is the best choice). Refrigerate lined pan for 10 minutes, then spread frangipani on the bottom of the tart shell approximately 1,5 cm deep. Place the roasted plums flesh side down onto the frangipani filling in the tart shell and place the cherries in the gaps.
2. Roll out the remaining sweet dough, cut into 2 cm strips and place over the plums in a lattice-work pattern. Brush with egg-wash and bake at 160 °C for 30 – 45 minutes until the tart is golden brown and the pastry at the bottom is cooked through.
3. Allow to cool before removing from tart ring or, alternatively, serve the tart in a ceramic tart dish if preferred.

Chef’s note: Serve with fresh cherries and vanilla chantilly. If you have the time, quenelle the chantilly and serve in a separate bowl – it is a cloud of deliciousness!

Wine recommendation: The Viognier-based La Motte Straw Wine offers the pleasant floral aromas of this variety as well as delightful sweet notes without being cloying. A perfect match!