Plum Tartlets

It's been a long time since I last took part in the Bake Along event...... So I thought I should take a break from posting my Hari Raya bakes (I still have a few!) & bake some plum tartlets for its 67th event. 

These tartlets are not the typical tarts that we've all come across because the base used is not pastry but closer to a cake. A few bloggers describe them as having cakey texture. The ones made by some of them do look like the texture is a cross between a cake & a pastry. Mine turned out to be more like a cake, moist  & just slightly crumbly.

Cake or pastry, I still like these tartlets.... very buttery with a tinge of lemon flavour, & the slight tang of  the plums is a good thing for an otherwise sweet dessert. Besides that, they are so pretty! I couldn't stop looking at them! 

Plum Tartlets

Ingredients:
120g unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon  ground cardamom (I used a pinch.)
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
100g granulated sugar (I used 90g.)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used pure vanilla paste.)
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 plums, pitted and sliced
2 tbsp turbinado sugar (I used demerara.)
confectioners' sugar for dusting
ice-cream for serving (optional)
three 4-inch ramekins (I used mini tart pans with removable base - 1 rectangular & 3 heart shape.)

Method:

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 180 deg C. Lightly butter the ramekins and place them on a baking sheet.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt; sift & set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a medium mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), cream the butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to beat until the mixture is light in colour. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in thirds, mixing just until incorporated; be careful not to overmix.
4. Divide the dough evenly among the ramekins. Fan plum slices in each ramekin, lightly pressing the slices into the dough with your fingers. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tartlets look set and the tops are golden brown. These are best served warm, but they can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
6. Serve the tarts with a light dusting of confectioners' sugar and a scoop of your favourite ice cream, if desired.

**The recipe above is only half the original recipe & I converted the measurement into metric.

Recipe from The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook by Cheryl Day & Griffith Day.

Source: Frontier Co-op.

I am submitting this post to Bake Along, an event organised by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours, Lena of Frozen Wings and Zoe of  Bake For Happy Kids.

I'm also linking this post to the Little Thumbs Up August (flour) event, organised by Bake for Happy Kids & My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe.