Even if you've never baked a single dessert, you can master these super simple and deceptively-fancy-looking Plum Tarts with Sweet Basil Honey.
I've been testing, testing and re-testing desserts for the blog this fall. Dessert recipes are such precise science experiments that it's a never-ending project.
(Though the two-year-olds love nothing better than sampling the batches that aren't worthy of the blog.)
Plum Tarts
These plum tarts were like a breath of fresh air in the midst of all that complicated baking. Just a few basic ingredients and store-bought puff pastry to create a beautiful-looking dessert that can go from ingredients to oven in under 15 minutes.
The combination of super juicy plums and honey that is warmed and infused with fresh basil makes this an ode to late summer, but these can easily be topped with just about any fruit.
With the weather turning cooler, I'm thinking I'll try these with apples and cinnamon-sugar in the next few weeks.
Puff pastry is a wannabe-baker's best friend. And a hero of the post-nap snack.
More Easy Desserts
- Chocolate-Dipped Banana Bread Truffles
- Summer Berry Cobbler
- Easy Apple Crumble
- Easy Vanilla Snack Cake
- Easy Apple Tart
- Muffin Pan Strawberry Shortcakes
Favorite Tools
Plum Tarts with Sweet Basil Honey
Equipment
- Half Sheet Pan
- Saucepan
- Pastry Brush
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- Flour, for dusting
- 1 package (17.3 oz) All-Butter Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
- 4 Plums, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup Honey
- 1 tablespoon Water
- 20 leaves Italian Sweet Basil
- ¼ cup Sugar (use large grain sugar like "sanding sugar" if possible)
Instructions
- <span class="mceItemHidden" data-mce-bogus="1"><span></span>Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.</span>
- <span class="mceItemHidden" data-mce-bogus="1"><span></span>Lightly grease a sheet pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.</span>
- Dust a counter with flour and unfold puff pastry on top. Slice into even squares about 3 to 4 inches on all sides (Note: Feel free to make these smaller or larger. If you know how many people you will be serving, cut as many squares as you'll need, as long as they will accommodate the plum slices. Baking instructions are the same, regardless of the size of the squares.)
- Prick the center of each pastry square a few times with a fork and transfer to prepared sheet plan.
- Arrange plum slices on pastry squares, about 3 slices per square, leaving ½ inch of space on all sides.
- Bake until pastry is golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
- While pastry bakes, combine honey and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a low simmer and simmer until honey is completely dissolved in water (you can also heat this in the microwave in 10 second increments, stirring between each increment). Remove from heat and stir in basil. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
- When pastry is finished baking, transfer to a cooling rack. Use a pastry brush to brush the surface of each pastry generously with basil honey (discard basil). Sprinkle with sugar.
- Serve immediately or store at room temperature for up to a day. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Molly and Clara started attending a new preschool yesterday. Just two days a week, but they're super excited (and I miss them)!
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Lauren
Aww big girls!!!!!!! Are those the skip hop backpacks? We love those! My daughter had the "dog" one last year and my son has the giraffe one this year. He is doing 2 mornings of preschool like your girls (despite him being a year older. haha... he is still my baby!)