Plum-Almond Tart

This plum tart looks like it came from a French bakery, but it starts with a sheet of frozen puff pastry and comes together in about 40 minutes. Sliced fresh plums fan across a bed of toasted almonds on a square of golden pastry with a raised border built from pastry strips.

Those pastry strips are a smart touch. You trim them from the edge of the rolled-out sheet, brush the borders with water, and press them on top to create a frame. As the tart bakes, the strips puff up into a golden wall that holds the fruit and juices in place.

The almonds go directly on the pastry before the plums. They absorb juice from the fruit as it bakes, preventing the bottom from getting soggy while adding a toasty, nutty crunch underneath every slice. Lemon zest tossed with the plums brightens the fruit’s natural tartness.

Brush the finished tart with any reserved plum juices for a glossy, jewel-toned finish.

Pro Tips

• Toast and chop the almonds before starting. Raw almonds won’t have time to toast fully under the fruit.
• Overlap the plum slices slightly in neat rows. Gaps leave the almonds exposed and they can burn.
• Serve warm or at room temperature. This tart doesn’t hold well in the fridge since the puff pastry loses its crispness.

Variations

• Use nectarines or peaches in place of plums when stone fruit is in season.
• Add a thin layer of almond paste (frangipane) under the plums for a richer, more traditional French tart.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving for a cleaner, bakery-style presentation.