Nanie’s Plum Tart
My Nanie, Olga, was known for her fabulous French cooking—a longtime passion she developed at a young age from her mother, an equally superb cook (lovingly known as ‘ma mère’). Growing up, going to Nanie’s house always meant we were in for a treat, whether it was quiche Lorraine, hearty blanquette de veau (a French veal stew) or deliciously creamy éclairs. She could whip up just about anything, in gourmet fashion. But of her extensive culinary repertoire, the one dish my dad loved and missed most, was her plum tart. Lucky for us (and you), she left a legacy of delicious recipes to share. She was however known for leaving out steps, so we’ve done a little adapting of our own. Share a slice or two over stories of your own family traditions!
Servings Prep Time
8slices 25minutes
Cook Time
40minutes
Servings Prep Time
8slices 25minutes
Cook Time
40minutes
Ingredients
Crust
Fruit + Filling
Instructions
Crust and Fruit
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Grease one 9″ pie dish using butter, shortening or cooking spray (whichever you prefer).
  3. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, butter and salt. Roll the ingredients between your fingers and hands until the butter is evenly incorporated throughout the mixture. It should resemble breadcrumbs.
  4. Gradually add ice water to the mixture and mix until able to form a ball of dough. your dough is balled, it’s time to start rolling. Sprinkle rolling surface with flour to avoid sticking. Start rolling out the pastry dough into a large circle (it should be wide enough to cover your pie dish, and not too thin).
  5. When your dough is ready, transfer it to your pie dish and press the dough down to line the sides of the dish. If you have excess dough hanging over the edges, cut around the dish and lightly press the top rim with your fingers.
  6. Next, wash, pit and slice your plums into quarters (or to your desired thickness). Place them in a small mixing bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon, mixing until the fruit is evenly coated.
  7. Add the sugar-coated plum mixture (flesh side up) to your pie crust—enough to completely cover the bottom of the dish—and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Custard Filling
  1. In a large bowl, combine ½ cup whipping cream, 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Then gradually whisk in the eggs, until the mixture is smooth.
  2. When the crust and plums are ready, remove from the oven and pour the custard mixture on top, covering the plums entirely. Note: if you have any plums left over, you can add them on top of the custard to make a fun flower-like pattern.
  3. Now it’s time to pop it into the oven! Bake another 20 minutes, or until custard is set. Then, bon appétit!