....and goodbye summer. See you next year.
Autumn is probably my favourite season of the year. Not just because I am an Autumn baby, but also because I love the change in the light in the morning, the change in the colours of leaves on the trees, and layering up in cosy sweaters and scarves. And of course, it means that, (dare I say it), Christmas is not so far away.
With a new season brings seasonal produce to inspire my baking. Of course, you can buy most fruits and vegetables virtually all year round, but I much prefer to use them when they are truly in season. I like that it makes then certain cakes and bakes rather special as they can be seen as a representation of that season on a plate.
The one bake that absolutely signifies early Autumn to me is the delicious and very traditional Bavarian plum tart, known in Bavarian dialect as Zwetschgen Datschi.
Simply speaking, this tart is made from a yeast dough or sweet pastry, pressed thinly onto a baking sheet, covered with stoned and sliced plums and sprinkled generously with cinnamon sugar. When the plums cook the skin colour runs red and deepens and just looks so pretty.
Whenever I have visited Bavaria at this time of year, it is always what I have chosen from the bakery to have with my afternoon tea. What makes it so special is that the particular variety of plum used is only in season for a very short time. They are oval as opposed to round and have a very dark purple skin. I haven't seen them here in the UK, but while researching an equivalent, the Damson plum was suggested. However, I am not a patient sort and don't always have the time nor inclination to go a-hunting a specific ingredient when the same result can be achieved with an alternative. Therefore, I have used the darkest skinned plum that I could find for this tart. I would say though not to use the Victoria variety. Not because they are not delicious, and they are, but because their skins are not dark enough to give the colour that is so specific to this tart.
The recipe comes courtesy of my Grandmother, and I hope I have done it justice. She uses the sweet pastry option for her version, for which I am thankful. Pastry I can make. Yeast dough is for me is......a little more of a challenge.
I hope that you give this a try and find it as delicious I do, and please, serve it with whipped cream. It is an absolute must. Lighter than double cream, it just works beautifully with this tart, and is how my Grandmother always enjoyed it.
For the Pastry
300g plain flour, sifted
100g golden caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
150g cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg, beaten
For the Filling
500g dark skinned plums
1 tbsp demerara sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
I used a 9" loose bottomed square flan tin, greased, but you could just as easily use a swiss roll tin if that is what you have available.
1. Make the pastry by putting the sifted flour, caster sugar and baking powder into a bowl and stirring until combined. Add the butter and using your fingertips rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Make a well in the centre, add the egg and stir using a fork until the mixture starts to come together. Using your hands, press it into a dough.
3. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in foil and place in the fridge for a couple of hours to rest.
4. Take the dough out of the fridge and allow it to come back to room temperature.
5. Put the dough into the centre of the prepared flan tin and press it down using your hands so it evenly covers the base and sides of the tin. Put the tin in the fridge while you prepare the plums.
6. Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4
7. Cut each plum in half, remove the stone and then cut each half into 4 and so that each plum gives you 8 segments.
8. Lay the plum segments lengthways across the pastry base in rows until all they all are used up.
9. Mix together the Demerara sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle liberally over the plums.
10. Put the tart into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the fruit is cooked and the pastry is golden brown.
11. Cool in the tin before removing the tart.
Baking Notes
If you want to make the pastry ahead of time then you can, as I did. I made the pastry the day before I made the tart and put it in the fridge. The next day I took it out and brought it back to room temperature before using it, which caused it no harm at all. You could also make the pastry in a food processor if you prefer. Just put the dry ingredients into the processor bowl, and the butter and whizz them altogether until you have the requisite fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and pulse until a dough just starts to form. Then take it out and continue with the method from step 2.
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