Gluten-Free Plum Tart with Honey and Lime

Here is a gluten-free and... sugar-free plum tart version I tried (if you omit the last part of the recipe with the meringue topping, which - to be honest - i added simply because I didn't want to throw away the egg white)!!! It's really tasty, ideal for breakfast and tastes great with yogurt on the side! For the tart shell I used oat flour, which is a great gluten-free option but you must be careful when using it in baking, because it will not hold together as regular wheat flour would, so I recommend you to mix it with other flours and maybe a combining agent, like egg, for better results. I mixed it with amaranth flour (really healthy and high in protein), but you could mix it with other gluten-free options, like rice flour, chickpea (garbanzo) flour, corn flour, etc.

For the crust you'll need:

226 grams butter

1 ½ cup oatmeal flour

1 ½ cup amaranth flour

½ cup honey (or agave syrup or stevia)

¾ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4-6 tablespoons of water

1 egg yolk (optional, but works as a combining agent)

For the filling you'll need:

16-20 plums washed, pit removed

½ cup honey (or agave syrup or stevia)

3 tablespoons corn starch

130 grams mascarpone

half vanilla pod (or ½ teaspoon vanilla powder)

juice of 1 lime

For the meringue (optional)

1 egg white

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons natural brown sugar

To serve (optional):

greek style strained yogurt

honey

grated lime zest

crushed walnuts

Combine the two types of flour, cinnamon, salt, lemon and lime zest in a bowl. Add the butter in chunks, egg yolk and honey and work with your hands until it resembles coarse meal. Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of water evenly over your mixture and mix it until incorporated using either your hands or a fork. To test if you’ve got it right, squeeze a small handful of dough in your hand and if it doesn’t hold together, add some more water (1/2 tablespoon at a time). If it gets too lumpy add a bit more flour. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough. Form a ball with it, wrap it in plastic wrap (or a container) and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. You can also prepare the dough ahead and keep it in the fridge for a couple of days (or in the freezer if you wish to store it for longer) and use it when needed.

Wash half the prunes and remove the pits. I keep their skin on because they give a beautiful colour to the cream you are about to make. Cut them in chunks and put them in a medium saucepan on low heat. 

Start stirring until they melt (if they start sticking on the saucepan, add a tablespoon of water, but if you keep the heat low that won’t be necessary). Stir in the corn starch. When creamy, turn off the heat and add the honey and lime juice. Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and mix them in the cream. Finally, add the mascarpone stirring gently until incorporated.

Remove the chilled tart dough from the fridge. Lightly butter a baking tray. Roll out the pastry and arrange it nicely in the tray (I use my fingers to spread it out).

Make several holes with a fork and bake in preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes (190°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 5).

Once ready, remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.

Add the prune cream in the tart shell. Wash the rest of the prunes, remove their pits and slice them nicely. Arrange the prune slices on top of the cream. 

At this point you either put it straight in the oven and bake it for about 20 minutes or until the cream thickens, or you may add a thin layer of meringue on top. So, using an electric mixer, beat the egg white with the sugar and salt until thick. Spread it on top of the tart and bake in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until golden at 160°C, 320°F, Gas Mark 4. 

Remove from oven and allow it to cool down. 

You may serve it with Greek-style strained yogurt, on which you may add, grated lime zest, crushed walnuts and honey!

Enjoy! 

  

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