Damson Bakewell Tart

At Bury st edibles we love autumn. Suffolk and Norfolk have fantastic produce all year round but at this time of year there really is so much of it. My favourite way to experience this is by doing a little foraging, which I don't take very seriously. I won't be picking sticky Mugwort or sea buckthorn berries. I will however struggle to walk past any fruit trees for the next couple of months. One of my favourite ones to find is a Damson tree, or indeed any plum tree at all. And this is one of my favourite recipes for what I pick if I find one. I love it as it doesn't require any blind baking and is pretty much foolproof. However you must rest the pastry before rolling it, and again afterwards and before assembling the tart. Still, whilst it rests, you can always nip out and pick more fruit.

For the pastry

260g 00 or pasta flour

125g Unsalted butter cut into 2cm(ish) cubes

100g Icing sugar

2 Eggs

For the frangipane

125g Unsalted butter

125g Ground almonds

125g Caster sugar

20g Self raising flour

2 Eggs

A few drops of almond essence

75g Flaked almonds

150g Damson or plum jam

9 Large damsons (or plums if you can’t find damsons)

1. At least 2 hours before you wish to make your tart, Make the pastry

2. Combine the flour, butter cubes and icing sugar in a stand mixer using the K shaped blade, until they resemble a fine breadcrumb

3. Add the eggs one by one until the pastry comes together then immediately stop mixing

4. Between two pieces of cling film press the pastry into a vaguely circular disc around 2cm thick. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, Then remove it from the fridge 20 minutes or so before you roll it

5. Line a 27cm (or similar) tart case with butter then dust it well with flour, shake off the excess

6. Roll out your pastry to a 5mm thickness and lay this into the tart case with any excess pastry laying over the sides. Put the tart case on a flat baking sheet and chill in the fridge for a further 30 minutes

7. Next make the Frangipane by combining the butter, ground almonds, sugar, flour, eggs and almond essence in a stand mixer, again using the K shaped blade, until they become a well mixed paste.

8. Line the bottom of the pastry case with a thin layer of damson jam, then spread your Frangipane evenly over the top of the jam.

9. Halve the damsons and remove the stones, arrange them evenly on top of the Frangipane, pressing in lightly

10. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top, preferably they should lie as flat as possible.

11. Bake at 135c for an hour by which time a skewer or cake tester should come out clean when poked into the centre. Try not to open the oven door at all during cooking.

12. Leave to cool and then shave the excess pastry from the outside using a potato peeler

Enjoy a slice with cream, vanilla ice cream or warm with custard