Recipe: Plum, Chocolate & Frangipane Pie
Had the pears held up I would likely be writing about broccoli or Swiss chard. Health food fans lament; pie lovers rejoice.
On Saturday, with guests arriving and the clock ticking loudly in my ears, I tossed my dessert plans into the garbage along with the perfect-on-the-outside, punky-on-the-inside pears. Unable to rest upon the laurels of a well-tested dessert, the pressure was on. With little on hand but plums and leftover ingredients from my recent stone-fruit baking exploits, I tossed components together like Dr. Frankenstein creating a new life from. All that was missing were lightning flashes and ominous organ chords.
The crust was the leftover pate sucree dough (which froze beautifully). I sprinkled in a layer of chocolate borrowed from the Pear Chocolate Tart, slathered on butterless frangipane lifted from the recent Peach, Apricot & Plum Galette and topped it all with a generous coating of sliced plums. Using the only egg left in the fridge I whisked in some cream for a custard to hold it all together.
Like the pears that started the culinary panic, the outside belies the interior. Sure this looks like last week’s Plum Frangipane Tart, but one bite in and you’ll know this isn’t the subtle version. Just as your fork is half way back to the plate, the dark chocolate hits you.
Despite my makeshift approach, this just might be my best plum pie ever. Granted, it’s only the second plum pie I’ve ever made, but was really, really good. I topped it off with some vanilla creme fraiche, but it really doesn’t need much help.
Got any makeshift successes you care to share? How do you cope with culinary disaster when you’re under the gun?
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Plum, Chocolate and Frangipane Pie
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredient list
- pastry dough, enough to line a 10-inch tart pan
- plums, (about a dozen small), pitted and sliced
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, shaved
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs (divided)
- 2 tsp vanilla (divided)
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 2 tbsp Turbinado sugar (granulated white sugar will do)
Preheat oven to 400F.
Roll pastry dough to 1/4 inch thick and press into a 10-inch tart pan. Refrigerate until needed.
Shave the chocolate. Set aside.
Pit and slice the plums. Set aside.
Make frangipane. In a blender or the small bowl of a food processor, blend until smooth:
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla
To make the custard, whisk together in a small bowl:
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
To assemble the pie, sprinkle chocolate over the bottom of the pie crust. Drizzle frangipane over the chocolate layer. Place the plum slices on top, distributing them evenly. Pour custard over top. Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar.
Place the tart pan in the centre of the preheated oven and bake 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350F and bake for 45 minutes or until the pie is golden and set.
Allow to cool thoroughly before serving. Top with vanilla creme fraiche, if desired.
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