On a thundery Saturday afternoon, the mood calls for a simple unrolling of puff pastry, tossing together fresh seasonal plums with brown sugar, some spices and delicate strips of refreshing lemon zest. In a “no care in the world” mindset, you let it bake to flaky goodness. A tart that is rustic, simple yet delicate. There is no skimping of fruit in this tart, each slice is brimming with hearty pieces of plum that are sure to satisfy. Brushing the steaming fruit with infused honey is the only way to complete this rustic tart. It’s been years since my days working in a bakery, when my favorite time of summer came when apricots and Italian plums arrived by the cases, and I first learned to make a tart similar to this one, that I’ve always kept close to my heart, even after all these years. 

I don’t usually add any added sweetness to this tart, I simply just let the fruit’s natural sugars work their magic, but seeing as this was being served for Mother’s Day, a little extra dash of sweetness was necessary. After tossing the plums together with the sugar, a syrup like sauce begins to develop, so make sure you use every last flavorful drop. Now put all your worries aside, simply wrap those sweet plums up in pastry, and let perfection bake away. Just try to resist the temptation of cutting into it while it’s still steaming, I know it’s hard. And if you really want to make a statement this Memorial Day Weekend, than this is the tart to do it with!

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Rustic Plum Tart

Ingredients {Makes one 9″ tart}

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6 to 7 – Plums {halved}

Zest of a Lemon

1/4 cup – Dark Brown Sugar {packed}

1 tablespoon – Cinnamon

1 teaspoon – Ground Ginger

1 1/3 sheets – Puff Pastry

Milk, for brushing

Raw Cane Sugar, for sprinkling

2 tablespoons – Honey {heated a few seconds}

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Recipe

Preheat oven to 375*F, spray a 9″ tart pan with cooking spray and line a baking sheet parchment paper. Unroll the puff pastry sheet, and gently fit into the pan, letting the excess hang over about 2″. Use the extra 1/3 piece of puff pastry to create triangle pieces to fit the remaining edges. In a bowl, combine the halved plums, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and zest. Arrange the plums, skin side up, starting around the outer edge working your way to the center. Pour excess juices over top. Once the tart has been covered, you’ll need to work with the plums a bit to make sure they fit.

Bake until pastry is golden brown, and juices bubble {about 50 to 60  minutes}. Rotate tart halfway, brushing edges with a bit more of milk. Place onto a cooling rack, and run knife around edges to release slightly. Cool completely, and remove tart from pan. Brush fruit with warm honey just before serving. Refrigerate, wrapped in plastic up to 4 days.