Portrait Plum Tart

As pretty as a portrait, this plum tart is easy to make and is perfect for the fall. From start to finish in under an hour this recipe from a friend is a winner for when you need to whip up a delicious dessert that will always impress.

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 pound firm ripe red or purple skinned plums
• 1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Cut butter into small pieces and put in a bowl. Add granulated sugar and stir to combine, then beat with a mixer on high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add orange peel, almond extract, salt and eggs. Stir to mix, then beat on high speed until well blended and smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup flour and stir to mix, then beat on high speed to blend.

Butter and flour an 11 to 11 ½ inch tart pan with removable bottom. Scrape batter into pan and spread level.

Rinse plums, cut in half, and pit; cut fruit into ¼ inch thick slices. Overlap all the slices on the batter; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.

Bake on the middle rack of a 375˚ regular or convection oven until the batter that pops up around fruit is lightly browned and tart begins to pull away from pan sides, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar (on the cut fruit, the sugar melts quickly). Serve hot, warm or cool.