Prunes Tart

The german name for this prunes tart is Zwetschgenkuchen.  It is a german speciality which I will bake rather frequently during late summer and early autumn.  It is simple to bake and tastes delicious.

For 1 Tart baking tin (Tarte-Form), 30 cm Ø preferably with a loose bottom or an oven baking tray

Ingredients:

250 g flour

½ cube fresh yeast (ca. 20 g)

125 ml warm milk

60 g sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 pinch salt

70 g soft butter

1–2 tablespoon breadcrumbs

1.2 kg plums (Zwetschgen or Pflaumen)

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoon coarse sugar (Hagelzucker)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 175º C (Fan/Umluft:  160º C) for about 15 minutes.  Butter the base and sides of baking tin or tray.  Sift the flour into a bowl and make a hollow part in the middle.  Break up the fresh yeast into it.  Add 2 tbsp warm milk and 1tsp sugar to the yeast and mix it slightly.  Sprinkle some flour over it and cover with a dish cloth.  Set aside for about 15 minutes for it to rise.

Once ready, add lemon peel, salt, 30 g sugar, butter and balance of milk into the bowl.  Knead the mixture (if possible, with a cake machine) until smooth.  Sprinkle some flour on it and cover with a dish cloth again.  Set aside for another 30 minutes in a warm place.  Once ready, roll out the dough on a floured surface to the size of the baking tin and cover the base and sides of the tin.  Poke the base with a fork and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on it (it will absorb the juice of the plums while baking).

Wash and half the plums and remove the seed.  Arrange the plums side by side on the dough.  Mix 30 g sugar and ¼ tsp ground cinnamon together and sprinkle it on the plums.  Bake in oven for about 40 minutes.  Once ready, sprinkle coarse sugar on top and let it cool down.  Serve the cake with whipped cream.

Happy baking!!!