Plum & Chocolate Tart

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Plums are in season, chocolate never goes out of season, a match made in heaven, thanks to Sandra Grant from Tahakopa who suggested these ingredients, including cream cheese and sugar which inspired this delicious tart as part of my recent Favourite Things birthday giveaway.   A great way to rediscover fruit! N-Joy. X

Prep Time: 5 min + chill time

Cook time: 60 min

Serves: 12 slices

Ingredients

1 sheet, ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten
zest 1 lemon
100g ground almonds
150g caster sugar
150g cream cheese
3 eggs
50g butter, melted (not hot)
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp chocolate sauce
4 plums, stoned & halved
1 tbsp sliced almonds

Instructions

Grease and line a loose bottomed tart tin (about 24cm x 4cm deep).  Roll out the pastry and line the tin.  Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200.

Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper, sprinkle in some baking beans (I use dried kidney beans), and blind bake the case for 10 minutes.

Remove the beans and paper, paint the pastry case with the beaten egg, return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes, remove and allow to cool.

Reduce the heat to 150.

In a large bowl pop the lemon zest, almonds & sugar and in a jug, whisk together the cream cheese, eggs and melted butter.  Pour wet ingredients in with the dry, pour in the vanilla essence then beat until smooth, glossy and no lumps remain.

Paint the bottom of the pastry case with the chocolate sauce (I use the back of a spoon to smooth it over, then lick the spoon clean!).  Pour your batter evenly onto the chocolate, then nestle the plums, cut side up in the mixture.  Lastly, sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake for 40 – 45 mins or until the batter is just set and the tart is golden.  If it’s browning too quickly, cover loosely with a sheet of foil.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool, dust with icing sugar before serving with oodles of cream or ice-cream.