Tarte Sablée aux prunes , crème fouettée a la verveine

Sugar-crusted Santa Rosa plum tart, lemon verbena whipped cream

This classic fruit tart can also be made with apricots, cherries, pears, etc..

Ingredients for one 10” tart, serves 8

Sugar crust

1 egg

4 ounces sugar

½ tsp. salt

8 ounces flour, or 6 ounces flour + 2 ounces almond meal

4 ounces butter

Process

Beat the egg, sugar, and salt together until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and using your hands, incorporate it to the egg mix. You will have something that resembles coarse sand. Work in the butter, as quickly as possible. Allow the dough to rest for an hour before rolling it .into a tart mold. Bake at 325 degrees until blond, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pan or on a rack.

Crème patissière

4 eggs

1 1/2 ounces flour, sifted

5 ounces sugar

Pinch of salt

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 pint milk infused with 1 vanilla bean, or 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Process

Whisk the eggs, sugar, salt, flour, and butter together until well mixed. Heat up the milk to boiling. Pour the boiling milk onto the egg mixture. Return the custard mix to the stove, stirring constantly, for two to three minutes, until thickened. Don’t overcook or it will loose its smooth texture. Cool in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Plum topping

15 to 20 Santa Rosa plums, depending on size.

¼ cup brown sugar

2 Tbs. butter

Process

Melt the butter, sugar, and rhum together. Gently cook the apricots in the sugar syrup. Reserve until ready to use.

Assembly

Spread the custard onto the crust. Top with the apricots. Reduce the syrup, and drizzle over the fruit.

Lemon verbena whipped cream

Ingredients:

1 pint whipping cream

1 cup fresh verbena leaves

¼ cup powdered sugar

Process

Bring the cream to a simmer. Pour over the verbena leaves. Place in refrigerator until chilled. Strain the cream to remove the leaves. Whip until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, whip a bit more. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

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© Oct. 2006 Laurence Hauben