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Have you had a Cherry Plum before? This little fruit is a cross between a cherry and a plum (duh) and has a tart and sweet flavor. Cherry plums originated in Europe and Asia and now you can find them in many specialty food stores. Right now, they are available at my local grocery store. I enjoy baking crostatas and free form tarts because I don’t have to be too exact! This crostata is as tasty as it is beautiful and makes for a lovely dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A bonus is having a leftover piece for the morning with coffee. Enjoy giving this fruit a try! If you are not able to find a bag of cherry plums, you can use regular plums or peaches.

Sweet and tart cherry plums with a hint of almond extract in a buttery crust. I can eat this for breakfast and dessert!

Details!

Cherry Plums

These little guys have a pit. My kids like to snack on them when I can find them at the store. Their flavor profile pairs perfectly with a dash of almond extract.

Filling

Fill your crostata crust with crushed almonds, flour, sugar, and sweet cherry plums soaked in almond extract.

Ready to crimp the edges

Be sure to save at least an inch of dough around the edges so you can crimp the sides. Dough is best when cold. Work quickly to avoid a sticky dough.

Ready for the oven

Before baking, brush the crostata with an egg wash (beaten egg and a little bit of water). Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and it’s ready for the oven.

FAQ

Sample FAQ question

This crostata is best served the day it is made. I like to make the dough in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. The day I am baking, I roll out the dough, assemble the tart, and allow to cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, then bake. After it cools, do the final step of the glaze. The crostata can sit at room temperature for a few hours. Place leftovers in a covered container.

What if I cannot find cherry plums?

These are seasonal gems so if you cannot locate them, just swap out for regular plums.

Cherry Plum Rustic Crostata

by Katie Heath
A simple yet impressive dessert
Servings: 8 people
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
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Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Ingredients 

For the crostata

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup ice water

For the filling

  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 lb. cherry plums, pitted and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 12 cherry plums)
  • 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 Tbsp. Turbinado sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. apricot jam (for optional glaze)

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, process almonds until chopped. Set them aside in a bowl.
  • In the same food processor, Add flour, sugar, and salt and pulse a few times. Next, add in the cubed butter and pulse. Finally, add the cold water and combine until the dough comes together.
  • Pour dough out on to the a lightly floured counter. Mix until it comes together into a ball. Wrap the ball in saran wrap and put it in the refrigerator to cool at least 15 minutes. Preferably longer.
  • Make the filling: Combine sliced cherry plums and almond extract into a bowl and stir. Let sit.
  • Dust the parchment paper lined baking sheet with flour and roll out the dough to an 11-13-inch round. Sprinkle flour on top leaving a 1-2 inch border. Next, sprinkle the crushed almonds. On top of the flour and almonds, add 1/4 cup sugar. Add the cherry plum slices in an overlapping concentric circle starting from the middle. This is free hand and does not have to be exact! Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup sugar on top.
  • Combine a cracked egg and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl and whisk. Fold the edges of the dough over in a pleated fashion. There may be cracks in the dough. Brush the dough with the egg wash using a pastry brush. Sprinkle the whole crostata with turbinado sugar.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. The cherry plums will be cooked and oozing slightly and the crust will be a light golden brown. Let cool.
  • For the glaze, heat up jam for 20 seconds in the microwave and brush over the plums using a pastry brush. This will make it look shiny and set. Sometimes I do this step and sometimes I skip it. Using 2 spatulas, transfer the crostata to a serving platter.
  • Serve in wedges at room temperature or heated slightly with a scoop of ice-cream.

Notes

Katie’s Tips:
*This recipe is easily doubled. Make one for your family and one for a friend.
*If I plan ahead, I make my crostata dough a day in advance and keep it in a flat disc shaped covered in saran wrap in the refrigerator. Dough is best to work with when it is cold. 
*The glaze is a nice finishing touch, but I often skip it if I’m in a time crunch. The flavor is great either way.
*Turbinado sugar is less processed sugar. It retains some molasses, so it has a light brown color and looks like large crystals. I use turbinado sugar for finishing desserts. Some people like to sprinkle on top of their coffee. Here is a picture of the bag. Sometimes it’s called sugar in the raw. 
*Save leftovers! Cover in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator and reheat one piece at a time. 
*Use this dough for other crostatas. I like to use seasonal fruit like peaches, apples, or plums.
*It is easy to omit nuts in the recipe. Skip the almond topping. The almond extract can be skipped as well.
Made it? Tag @katieskitchencounter on Instagram. I’d love to see!