Almond Tartlets with Plum Cream

By DreiFromBK

What makes these plum-puree tartlets so good is the whipped cream topping that's infused with the plum pits. Note: You'll need eighteen 1-ounce tartlet molds to make this recipe.

Ingredients

• pastry
• 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour
• 1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 large egg, beaten
• plum toppings
• 1 1/2 pounds red plums, chopped, pits crushed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Details

Adapted from foodandwine.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make the pastry In a bowl, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until fluffy. Fold in both flours, the almond extract and half of the beaten egg; reserve the rest of the egg for another use. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the pastry for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Divide the pastry into 18 equal pieces. Press each piece evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 1-ounce tartlet mold (our molds were 4-by-1 3/4-by-1/3 inches). Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and set. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Remove the tartlet shells from the molds.
Meanwhile, make the plum toppings In a saucepan, combine two-thirds of the chopped plums with the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water; bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 30 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and cook until slightly reduced, 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Scrape the puree into a bowl and let cool; cover and refrigerate until firm and cold.
In a small saucepan, combine the cream with the remaining plums and all of the crushed plum pits. Bring just to a simmer and cook over low heat until the cream is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 30 minutes. Strain the cream into a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 1 hour.
Beat the cream to soft peaks. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the plum puree into each tartlet. Top with a dollop of the plum cream and serve.