This tart is as beautiful as it is delicious, the soaked prunes give it a wonderful flavour……..and it is very French ♥ I have served it at many a dinner & lunch party and it always wows everyone. Armagnac is a French liqueur and just add a divine flavour to the prunes.
Ingredients:
- 300g dried prunes
- 4 tbsp Armagnac
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 35g ground almonds
- 55g caster sugar
- 1 x 200g tub crème fraiche
- Icing sugar for dusting
- Double cream or ice cream for serving
Method:
- Put the prunes into a small bowl, and pour over the Armagnac and leave for 1 hour, turning them often.
- Roll out the pasty on lightly floured surface and line a greased loose-bottomed flan tin 24cm wide & 2.5cm deep.
- Prick the base all over with a fork and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, and line the pastry case with baking paper and baking beans and place in oven for 4-5 minutes.
- Remove, brush the inside of the case with a little of the beaten egg, and return to the oven for another 2minutes.
- Set aside, reduce the temperature of the oven to 190°C.
- Drain the prunes over a bowl and reserve the liquid.
- Add the found almonds, egg, sugar & crème fraiche to the liquid, and beat together until smooth.
- Scatter the prunes over the base of the pastry case, pour over the almond mixture and bake for 45 minutes until golden brown, and when tested with a skewer it comes out clean.
- Carefully remove the tart from the tin and leave to cool slightly on a wire rack.
- Dust with a little icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature cut into wedges, with cream or ice cream.
Pastry:
- 225g plain flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 130g chilled butter, cut into cubes
- 1½-2 tbsp cold water
Sift the flour and salt into a food processor, add the pieces of chilled butter and work together until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
Stir in the water with a round-bladed knife until it comes together into a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Roll out on a little more flour and place into flan tin.
You can substitute a normal sweet shortcrust pastry instead of this one if you prefer.
Enjoy! Please leave a comment below if you like this recipe as I love feedback ♥
