Crustless Plum, Blueberry and Almond Tart
This week I really wanted to post something healthy and veg-centric, but clearly, that didn't happen.
Normally when I head to the farmers market, I have a few vague recipe ideas in mind, but nothing too concrete. This week I was a little low on ideas and was just waiting to be inspired by whatever veggies looked good. But when I saw my favorite vendor's pints of blueberries lined up perfectly next to their baskets of plums, it was just too much to resist. Especially since summer fruits are quickly dwindling, I was itching to buy them while I still could.
A few years ago, I had seen Izy Hossack's recipe for Crustless Plum and Almond Tart in her Everyday Delicious book but I never had an occasion to try it out. When I saw those plums and blueberries at the market, I vaguely remembered her recipe and knew that it was finally time to try it out. What better excuse to bake a sugary fruity dessert than the end of summer?
In the original recipe, she only used plums, but suggested that the tart could be made with other fruits as well. In my rendition, I added blueberries in along with the plums and it was absolutely scrummy.
Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!
Time: 45 minutes
Makes: One 8-inch by 8-inch tart
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup almond flour
3/4 cup oat flour
Note: to make your own oat flour, simply blend up rolled or old fashioned oats in your food processor or blender until powdered
2 large plums, cut into slices
1 cup blueberries
About 1 tablespoon powdered sugar for topping
Steps
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar and syrup. Beat in the egg, almond extract, salt and baking powder. Then, stir in the almond flour and oat flour until smooth.
Pour the batter into a greased 8-inch by 8-inch pan and arrange the fruit on top of the batter as orderly or haphazardly as you would like. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown. Let cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Sustainability Tips
Butter: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are held to really high environmental and social standards. You could also try out vegan fat options, like margarine, homemade faux butter or coconut oil to cut back on dairy.
Plums and Blueberries: Make sure these pups are in season when you make this dish (late summer to early fall is perfect in most places). This will make it easier to buy organically and as locally as possible. Buying organically and locally will ensure that your fruits don’t contribute to pesticide contamination or excessive greenhouse gas emissions during travel.
Syrup: Go for local syrup! This will decrease GHGs from travel and maybe even help you get to know your local syrup producers. Read all about it in my liquid sweeteners post!
Egg: Local eggs are really easy to find if you look for them. Buying locally means your eggs won't have to travel as far, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.