Easy plum & almond tart

This recipe is so simple, I'm not sure it counts as actual cooking!

Juicy, jammy plums lightly spiced with cinnamon, vanilla and star anise are wrapped in flaky puff pastry and crunchy almonds.

This is delicious eaten warm out of the oven, or at room temperature, and could be served as a dessert or breakfast pastry for friends and family – you decide!

I've used shop-bought puff pastry, here – as long as you don't buy the 'all butter' type, it should be vegan, but do check the packaging. You can also buy a gluten-free version now, too.

This recipe is essentially an assembly job, pulling together the ingredients and baking them. You can also use different seasonal fruits and, depending on the time of year, mix up the spices, too.

However you make or serve it, I know you're going to love it.

SERVES:
06-08

Ingredients
Instructions

Ingredients

For the tart

320g pack ready-rolled puff pastry

3 tbsp ground almonds

6-8 plums, halved and stoned

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 cinnamon stick

½ tsp ground cinnamon

2-3 star anise

2 tbsp plant milk – I used oat

¼ cup flaked almonds

1-2 tbsp demerara sugar (optional)

To serve (choose your favourite)

Plant-based vanilla ice cream

Oat cream

Oat custard

Vegan crème fraîche

Plant-based yoghurt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4.
Unroll the puff pastry. If it comes on a baking sheet, transfer it straight to a baking tray – if not, line your baking tray with greaseproof paper first.
Sprinkle the centre of the pastry with the ground almonds, leaving a 2-inch border around the edge.
Add the plums, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, cinnamon stick, ground cinnamon and star anise to a bowl, and stir gently to combine.
Tip the plums onto the centre of the pastry, along with any juices left in the bowl, and fold the sides of pastry up around the plums – there's no need to be too neat.
Brush the edges of the pastry with plant-based milk, and press on the flaked almonds. Sprinkle over the sugar, if using.
Bake the tart for about 30 mins, or until the pastry has puffed up and is golden brown, and the plums are releasing their jammy juices.
Serve warm or at room temperature with plant-based ice cream, custard, or any other accompaniment you fancy.