Do you peel plums before baking?

It depends on how you’re using them. When making jelly or jam, yes you should peel plums. When making this recipe, or other recipes where you roast or bake plums, leave the skin on. They add nice color and shape, plus a bit of tartness that contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the plum flesh.

Do you need to stone plums before cooking?

For this recipe, yes you definitely need to remove stones from the plums. I always half plums and remove the stones before cooking. However, technically, you can cook plums whole and then halve and remove the stone later.

What is the difference between a tart and a plum galette with puff pastry?

I took a few liberties in naming this plum dessert a “tart.” Mine is actually not really a tart or a galette. Technically, tarts are baked in a very specific style pan (a tart pan) while a galette is a French pastry that’s basically a freeform pie. For a galette, pie crust is rolled flat, filled with lots of fresh fruit (sliced or chopped) then the edges of the crust are folded over the edge of the fruit, overlapping around 1 inch. My tarts are freeform, but with a thinner, puff pastry crust instead of a pie crust. In addition, mine don’t have as much fruit as a typical galette, and the edge of the crust isn’t folded on top of the fruit.

What is the difference between a plum galette with puff pastry and a pie?

A galette is basically a freeform pie that’s baked on a cookie sheet instead of in a pie dish. In addition, a galette made with puff pastry will have a light, crisp crust whereas a pie will have a flaky crust.

How do you keep the bottom of mini plum tarts from getting soggy?

I’ve never had an issue with these tarts getting soggy. Don’t make them more than 8 hours ahead and make sure to cook them until the crust is crispy.

Mini Plum Tarts Puff Pastry | A Well-Seasoned Kitchen®

Name: Individual Plum Tarts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 (17.3-ounce) package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed; all purpose flour, for rolling the pastry; 1/4 cup butter, melted; 6 ripe but slightly firm plums – see Note below; 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus whole leaves for garnish; 3 teaspoons fresh lemon zest; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/3 cup apricot jam; Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Ingredients

Scale

1 (17.3-ounce) package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
all purpose flour, for rolling the pastry
1/4 cup butter, melted
6 ripe but slightly firm plums – see Note below
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus whole leaves for garnish
3 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup apricot jam
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 puff pastry sheet until very thin. Cut into 3 (6-inch) circles. Pierce the bottom all over with a fork. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet; you will have a total of 6 rounds.
Place on ungreased cookie sheets and brush with melted butter. Set aside.
Pit plums and cut each into 16 slices (around 1/4-inch thick).
In a medium mixing bowl, combine plums, sugar, mint, lemon zest and cinnamon.
Arrange on top of the pastry, placing the plum slices on their side, forming a pinwheel. Fold over edges of the pastry up to (but not over) the plums, to form a small rim.
In a small saucepan, melt the jam over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat; brush lightly over the top of the plums with a basting brush.
Bake about 30 minutes or just until the crusts are done and the fruit is starting to bubble and get juicy (watch carefully so they don’t get overdone).
Serve at room temperature, placing a small scoop of vanilla ice cream in the center, if desired.
Garnish with whole mint leaves.

Notes

Note on plums: I recommend using red or purple plums like Elephant Heart – they have great color (red inside, dark red/purple outside) – and are commonly available.

Make Ahead: Tarts can be made earlier in the day, cooled, covered and kept at room temperature

Author: From "Fresh Tastes" by Lee Clayton Roper
Category: desserts, quick and easy
Method: Bake
Cuisine: French

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 tart (witout ice cream)
Calories: 615
Sugar: 19.1 g
Sodium: 215.5 mg
Fat: 39.4 g
Saturated Fat: 9.3 g
Carbohydrates: 60.9 g
Fiber: 2.5 g
Protein: 6.8 g
Cholesterol: 20.3 mg