Looking For That Blessed Hope

My husband ate one of the Plum Tartlets which I baked last night.  He thought it was for his morning breakfast and commented that it was too crumbly and dry.

"Hey! You took the best looking of the lot, and these are not breakfast muffins, they're meant to be eaten with ice cream!" I exclaimed.  I have not even taken photos.

I didn't think much of these tartlets when I saw the Bake Along link. I said to myself, "No, I'm not baking these.".  But I'm kinda into this Bake Along ever since joining hosts Zoe, Joyce and Lena.  I have enjoyed Bake Along tremendously and have challenged myself to bake things which I normally dare not do. It is always the same chiffons, sponge and butter cakes.

Plums are in season, and are selling cheaply in supermarkets everywhere. What kind of plums to buy? I'm spoilt for choice here. We have the Spanish and American varieties. I bought the red plums because I think they're prettier for baking.

Plum Tartlet
Adapted from Bake for happy kids, from the book Back in the Day Bakery.
6 small tarts

Ingredients
150g all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (cinnamon powder)
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
125g unsalted butter, at room temperature (salted)
1 large egg yolk
40g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla paste (or exract)
lemon zest from 1 lemon
2 plums, pitted and sliced (fresh or frozen)
2 tbsp brown sugar
icing sugar for dusting

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350F or 160C fan forced. Lightly butter 6 cups of a muffin tray and line each base with a circle of baking paper.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 
• Add the egg yolk, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zes and continue to beat until the mixture is light in colour.
• In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt.
• Reduce the speed to low and add sifted flour mixture in thirds, mixing just until incorporated; be careful not to over mix.
• Divide the dough evenly among muffin cups. Place plum slices in each cup,lightly pressing the slices into the dough with your fingers. 
• Sprinkle the tops with brown sugar.
• Bake for 25 mins, until the tartlets look set and the tops are bubbly and caramelized to a golden brown. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

These are best served warm, but they can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Surprise, surprise, I like the tartlets! This is great and fuss free way of making tarts without crust. Taste a little like crumbles and this would be great with vanilla ice cream.

This post is linked to Bake Along hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Lena from Frozen Wings and Joyce from Kitchen Flavours.