Plum meringue tart you say? Never heard of it! Me either, I'm sure someone had made this but I've never heard of it or seen it. The thought behind this is actually very simple. We have plum trees here in Malibu and they are some of the best tasting plums I've ever had. If you let them ripen like you should they have a certain sweetness to them that isn't completely tart. Lemons are very similar tasting profile in my mind. They have a natural sweetness to them but they are very tart. Why not exchange the fruits for the classic lemon meringue tart.
Add a little vanilla bean to the mix to help with some of the tartness and you have one of the best tasting tarts ever. Everyone said it was really amazing, so delicious. Again, almost every single recipe depends on how great your ingredients are. If you have plums that really have little to no flavor, your tart is going to have little to no flavor. Going to farmers markets and being able to taste different varieties of fruit would really go a long way for this recipe. Or if you like me and have access to a tree in your backyard and it has years of maturing behind it, the result is truly amazing. With that being said it really is an easy dessert. I hope you enjoy it!
Pate Brissee
2 cups of flour
2 sticks of butter
1 tsp of salt
pinch of sugar
1/4 cup of ice water
Plum Meringue Tart
1 scant cup of Plum juice (puree strained)
5 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
Swiss Meringue
1/2 cup of egg whites
3/4 cup of sugar
Plum Sorbet (here)
Plum slices and lemonade blueberries to garnish with fresh mint
For the crust
Place flours,sugar, and salt into a food processor. Pulse a few times and then add the butter. Keep the processor running until butter has been incorporated. Then while the food processor is still on start pouring in the ice water until a smooth dough has formed. Take the dough and divide into two equal parts. Wrap in parchment paper and chill for 30 minutes. Then take out and roll the dough in between two pieces of parchment paper into a 1/4 inch thick. Then place dough into your tart mold and bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile make the filling
Place all the filling in a mixing bowl and place over a water bath. Stir softly until the mixture comes to 140 F. Then strain the mixture into the tart crust. Place the tart into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minute or until it is firm with a little wiggle. Set aside and let it cool completely. Place in the refrigerator until ready to top with the meringue.
For the Meringue
In mixing bowl heat eggwhite and sugar over water bath until it reaches 160 F. Then immediately place in a stand mixer and whip for 5 minutes or until cool. Put the meringue in pastry bag and pipe in a consistent motion on top of the plum tart. Then with a torch, brown the top of the meringue. Add the blueberries, plums, and mint. Serve and enjoy the fresh taste of plums!
