CARAMELIZED PLUM TART

Serves: 8

2 tsp (10 ml) unsalted butter 1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar

Tart Pastry (pâte brisée; recipe follows)

1 3/4 lbs (800 g) just-ripe, small plums (see note)

1/4 cup (60 ml) apricot jam

1. Grease a 10-inch (25-cm) metal tart pan with a removable bottom with the butter, and sprinkle the bottom and sides evenly with the sugar. Roll out the pâte brisée and line the pan with it, trimming the excess with a roll of the pin. Let rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). (If your oven has a mode where the heat comes primarily from the bottom heating element, use this; it will foster a deeper caramelization of the crust.)

3. Halve and pit the plums. If your plums are very small (1 inch/2.5 cm), just leave them as halves; otherwise cut them into quarters or sixths. Arrange the plums skin side down on the dough in a circular pattern, starting from the outside, overlapping slightly; the plums will shrink slightly as they bake. Alternate plum colours if using a mix. Bake for 20 minutes.

4. While the tart is baking, in a small saucepan, heat the apricot jam over low heat. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove pieces of skin.

5. Remove the tart from the oven ( but leave the oven on). Remove the sides of the tart pan. Using a pastry brush and the strained apricot jam, glaze the sides of the tart, outside and in, and the top of the fruit. Return to the oven until darkly caramelized, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Note: I like to use a mix of two or three varieties of plums if available. You can use frozen plums straight from the freezer, without thawing.