-
1
Roll the pâte brisée on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3 mm. Fit it into a buttered tart ring, pressing it cleanly into the edges. Rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Line with baking paper, fill with baking weights, and blind-bake at 190 °C for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and paper; the pastry should be set and pale gold at the edges but not fully coloured.
-
2
Scatter the ground almonds (or semolina) in an even layer over the blind-baked base. This layer absorbs the juice released by the plums during baking and prevents the base from softening.
-
3
This is where the tart lives or dies: arrange the halved quetsches standing upright, cut-side outward, in extremely tight concentric circles across the entire base, leaving no gap between the halves. The plums will shrink by roughly 30% during baking; any spacing introduced here becomes an unsightly hole in the finished tart.
-
4
Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a 2:1 ratio and sprinkle evenly over the standing fruit. Transfer the tart to the oven and bake at 180 °C for 30 to 35 minutes. The tart is done when the plum edges are deeply caramelised and the juices between the fruits have concentrated into a syrupy glaze — taste a small amount of the glaze from the edge of the tin; it should be rich, tart, and intensely plum-flavoured.
-
5
Remove from the oven and allow the tart to cool on a rack until barely warm. The concentrated plum aroma is at its peak at this temperature. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche or a scoop of cinnamon ice cream.