{A healthier tart – Autumn italian plum tart in a walnut date oat crust}
As I had mentioned briefly a couple days ago, I went to watch “Kings of Pastry” on Friday as part of the Calgary International Film Festival lineup. If you are a pastry-obsessed foodie like me, this movie is a must-see. Here is description from their website:
Sixteen French pastry chefs gathered in Lyon for three intense days of mixing, piping and sculpting everything from delicate chocolates to six-foot sugar sculptures in hopes of being declared by President Nicolas Sarkozy one of the best. This is the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France competition (Best Craftsmen in France). The blue, white and red striped collar worn on the jackets of the winners is more than the ultimate recognition for every pastry chef –
it is a dream and an obsession.
Watching all those dazzling Parisian pastries and confections put me in the mood to make my own creation…
I looked into the fridge and pantry for inspiration…It started with this pound bag of organic purple jewel-toned italian plums, 1/2 a container of date paste, organic walnuts, rolled oats…Solution: Italian plum tart with wild flower honey in a walnut date oat crust.
I cut these into gorgeous juicy plums into quarters and put them into a bowl with a drizzle of raw wildflower honey, 2 tsp of cornstarch, cinnamon and ground ginger..
For the crust, I drew inspiration for the crust from the recipe here.
In a heavy pot, I mixed 2 tbsp of butter and about 1/2 cup of date puree, with a bit of water into a pot over low heat till the mixture turns into a thick paste..
In the food processor, pulse 1/3 cup of organic walnuts and 1/4 cup of organic rolled oats till it becomes a coarse meal. Add in cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg and another 1/4 cup more of rolled oats. Add this to your paste and press into an 8″ tart pan..
I use my measuring cup to put up the sides of the crust..
Lay your plums in an overlapping circle starting from the middle and sprinkle the top with about a tablespoon of turbinado sugar..Bake at 350F for 30 min and voila! Looks just like those lovely tarts you see in a Parisian patisserie…but healthier 
The crust turned out great, chewy and crispy on the edges and just the right amount of sweetness. Melt in your mouth tender slices of juicy sweet plum, with a slight spice from the ginger and cinnamon..the perfect Autumn dessert..
That tart looks awesome. I’m not much of a baker, so I admire people who can improvise a crust and filling.
Yes, when you have a sweet tooth like me, it’s nice to come up with healthier versions that does not sacrifice taste.