This Italian plum tart is a delicious and easy way to make a dessert with plums and it looks so beautiful too. The filling for this Italian tart is very easy and is made of eggs, cream and sugar and there are no fancy techniques to fuss with. If you are looking for an easy plum tart recipe then this is the recipe for you.
Why I think you'll love this Italian plum tart
What I love most about this Italian plum tart is that it looks really sophisticated and like something that you would have spent a lot of time making but it is actually very easy. After all, you know that if you are here on my website then the recipes will always be easy no matter how fancy they may look.
That is just how I like to cook and bake. If you like easy desserts like this one then you should also check out my Italian Berry Cake! It is one of my favorites and beautiful looking when it is all assembled.
Ingredients Needed
The ingredients for this Italian plum tart are fairly simple. Here is what you will need:
- Italian plums or regular plums.
- Pie crust or pastry crust. If you need a pie crust recipe I have included that below for you.
- Eggs.
- Sugar.
- Brown sugar.
- Heavy cream.
- Cinnamon
The crust of this plum tart can be made with any pastry crust or pie crust that you prefer. I like to use my homemade pie crust if I can.
I will usually make a big batch of these pie crusts and freeze them for just this type of recipe. Good quality store bought pie crust will work fine too.
About Italian Plums
If you are not familiar with Italian plums they actually start out an orange color and change completely to pinkish red over time; this is how you know when they are ripe. These plums can be hard to find sometimes so any firm plum will work for this recipe.
The recipe is a traditional Italian recipe regardless of the plum variety you use and will taste just as delicious.
Tips for making this plum tart recipe
- Choose a plum variety that is firm. Many of the purple plums in the store can be a little on the soft (almost mushy side) when you buy them. When you buy the plums, give them a gentle squeeze. If they feel firm then they will hold up to the heat of the oven. If they are too soft, look for a different variety or slightly underripe ones.
- When choosing a tart pan (see dimensions in recipe below), make sure it is not too large. A standard pastry or pie crust will fill a small circular, square or rectangular tart pan nicely leaving you a slightly thicker crust which is what you want.
- Make sure you let your tart cool for a bit when it comes out of the oven so you give the crust time to pull away from the pan before removing the sides of the pan.
- If you do not have a tart pan and are going to use a pie pan then that is fine! You will not be able to expose the sides of the entire tart but it will taste just as amazing. If you do use a pie pan then make sure you are only bring the crust half way up the sides. This recipe's filling is not for a deep dish pie and will not fill an entire pie pan to the top.
This Italian plum tart is so easy to make no matter what pan you use. It is versatile and can be eaten for dessert, breakfast or even as a light snack with some coffee or tea. I hope you give it a try!
More Like This
If you love this Italian plum tart, you may also like these:
Italian Plum Tart
Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Equipment
- either a small rectangular tart pan (9.5"x 13.5"), a round tart pan (9.5") or a small square tart pan (9")
Ingredients
- 1 disc of pastry dough/or pie crust
- 2 cups plums 3-4 plums depending on size . halved and pitted
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.
- While your oven is pre-heating, prepare your plums by cutting them in half, removing the pits and then set aside.
- Grab a tart pan (circular, rectangular or square work fine) and grease it and set aside so it is ready for the pastry crust you will be rolling out. If you do not have a tart pan, a pie dish will work well too but the presentation will not be as pretty.
- Now on a lightly floured work surface, roll out your pastry crust or pie dough until it is just a little bit bigger than your tart pan.1 disc of pastry dough/or pie crust
- Place your crust inside your pan pressing up along the sides so that it stays in place.
- In a medium bowl, mix together your plums, cinnamon, brown sugar and lemon juice. Once the plums are all mixed in with the spices, place the plums on top of your pie crust cut side up and bake for 15 minutes.2 cups plums, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- While it is baking, in a medium bowl, whisk together your egg, sugar ,vanilla and cream until it is a pale yellow color.⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup heavy cream
- Remove your tart from the oven and now pour this egg mixture over the top of your plums and pastry and place back in the oven and bake for 20 more minutes until the custard is set and not jiggly anymore and the top is a nice golden color.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes on a cooling rack. If you used a tart pan, carefully remove the outer layer of the tart pan and let it cool for another 5 minutes.
- Cut your tart into slices, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer here
Sammy says
This plum tart was absolutely delicious and so simple. Can’t wait to make it again!
Melissa says
So glad to hear that!
Tracy says
Can this be made the day before it is to be eaten, if so should it be stored in the fridge?
Melissa says
Hi Tracy. I haven't made the whole thing ahead of time but I have refrigerated extra plum tart that wasn't eaten- you want to do this because of the dairy. It tasted wonderful the next day. You can eat it cold out of the fridge or let it come to room temperature before serving.
I hope this helps 🙂
Sarah says
I really enjoyed this recipe. It was light and perfect for a snack with my coffee.
Dorothy Ianucilli says
Can I leave out the lemon juice as I am allergic to lemon
Melissa says
Hi Dorothy. Sure. The lemon just adds a little complexity of flavor. You can just leave it out or substitute some orange juice if you that is something you can have.
Hope this helps!