Plum and Blackberry Streusel Tart

Scrummy!

This is a great tart for a family lunch.  We all know that blackberries go really well with apple but they are also lovely with plums.  The cinnamon in the crumble gives this tart a lovely flavour and is a must warm with cream, custard or ice cream.  My son took some to work the next day cold and said it was delicious. That of course, if there is any left.

Blackberry and Plum Streusel Tart

Serves 8

Ingredients

For the pastry

225g / 8oz plain flour

1 tsp icing sugar

1 tbsp golden caster sugar

Pinch salt

140g/5oz cold  butter, roughly cubed

1 large egg, beaten

OR 375g pack dessert shortcrust pastry

For the filling

400g / 13 oz blackberries

450g / 1 lb plums, halved or quartered if large and stoned

100g / 3 ½ oz golden caster sugar

1 tbsp fine semolina, polenta or dry breadcrumbs

For the streusel topping

200g / 8oz plain flour

¾ tsp ground cinnamon

85g / 3oz golden caster sugar

85g / 3oz butter

 

1.  Make the pastry:  Whizz the flour, sugars and salt together for a few seconds in a food processor add the butter and whiz together until looks like coarse breadcrumbs( this can obviously be done by hand if you do not have a food processor).  Add the egg and pulse until the pastry starts coming together in a ball.  Do not over process as this can make the pastry tough.  Finish off with a light knead on a floured work top and then wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes, if time permits.

2.  Roll the pastry out on a well floured surface and line a 23cm/9inch fluted metal tart tin with a removable base and chill again for another 20 minutes. 

3.  Pre heat oven 200c/gas 6/ fan 180c.  Carefully cover the pastry with either baking paper or foil and weight it down with either ceramic or dried beans.  Bake on the middle shelf for 12 minutes then remove the beans, paper or foil and return to oven to bake for a further 8 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and dry looking but barely coloured.

4.  Make the filling:  Toss the blackberries with the plums and sugar.  Sprinkle the semolina, polenta or breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pastry case( this is to help soak up the juices released from the fruit and to stop the pastry getting too soggy).  Pile in the fruit and even out with a spoon.

5.  To make the topping:  Mix the flour with the cinnamon and sugar.  Melt the butter and pour over the flour mixture while hot.  Using a knife, cut the mixture repeatedly until you have a mass of lumpy crumbs.  Scatter evenly and thickly over the fruit until it is completely covered.  Bake, still at the same temperature for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.  Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with custard or cream.

  

To get ahead: the tart can be made and reheated gently in the oven although the rule is that pastry is best eaten on the day it is made.