This sugar plum torte is so full of flavours and textures. 

It’s like an almond torte, with a sugar pie plum topping and a base like a thick soft almond cookie cake of a crust.

It is best served at room temperature, the same day.  The top gets soft because of the fruit, but the flavours also come together more by the next day, so still good.

Sugar Plum almond torte

Italian or prune plums are the longer less rounded bum shaped plums.

They are usually tart and on the dry side, although I have come across some sugar sweet ones.

These plums are best when they are cooked in baking, sauces or jams.  Look for firm fleshed dark plums that look like they are frosted.

Plums
Diced plums

Diced prune plums

Lemon juice on cut plums

Toss prune plums with lemon juice

I use a 10.5”(27cm) and it fills generously.

Depending on the temperature of your butter and how airy your eggs are, more or less plums, you may have a difference in the amount of batter you have.

I have suggested an 11” (28cm) flan pan, but if you have all of the sizes around that size, but not that size, use a larger pan instead of smaller.

Sugar Plum almond torte

How to Make a Sugar Plum Almond Torte

INGREDIENTS

Makes 1- 11″ (28cm) Flan pan, about 10 servings

Prep time: 60 minutes
Chilling time: 60 minutes

Baking time: 65 minutes

Base

  • 1 cup (100g) ground almonds
  • 1¼ cup (155g) all purpose flour
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 large egg

Top

  • 3 cups or so, about 400g Italian plums washed, pitted and diced  
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar plus 1 Tbsp 
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon 
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (63g) all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
Sugar Plum almond torte ingredients

Start with the Almond Torte Base

1. Grease and flour a 11” (28cm) flan pan.

2. Combine ground almonds, flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a medium bowl or the bowl of a food processor.

Plum almond torte base dry ingredients
Add the lemon zest

3. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or pulse in the food processor, just until crumbly, not clumping.  

4. Beat the egg in a measuring cup and add enough cold water to equal ¼ cup (65mL) of liquid.

5. Add the egg mixture, stir or pulse just until it comes together.

Cut in the butter
Egg with water
Add egg mixture
Bring the dough together

It will still be crumbly in parts, probably. 

6. Give it a bit of a knead, wrap it, flatten it, and refrigerate for about an hour.

Turn out onto a floured surface
Flatten the base and refrigerate

7. Roll and fit into the bottom and press it up the sides of the flan pan.  

8. Dock the crust and put it in the freezer.

9. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

Roll the almond base out
Flatten the base and refrigerate
Roll up the Plum Almond Torte base
place Plum Almond Torte base into pan
Plum almond torte base
Press the Plum almond torte base into pan

10. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (220°C) then 350°F (180°C) for 15 mins.

It will sink a bit.

11. Press the sides up using some of the bottom base while it is still hot.

Let cool before filling and baking again.

Plum almond torte crust baked

For the Sugar Plum Topping

1. Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. Beat the eggs, ¾ cup (150g) sugar, and vanilla until pale, about 2 -3 minutes.

3. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until combined.

4. Fold in the melted butter.

Plum almond torte Topping
Beat egg mixture until thick and pale
Fold in the flour
Fold in the butter

5. Pour about half of this into the baked crust, just to cover the bottom.

6. Scatter the sliced plums into the batter, then pour the rest of the batter gently over so you don’t displace the plums.

7. Combine the tablespoon of sugar with the ½ tsp of cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the top.

8. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes.

Let cool before cutting.

Plum Almond Torte
Plum almond torte baked

Sugar Plum Almond Torte

It’s like an almond torte, with a sugar pie plum topping and a base like a thick soft almond cookie cake of a crust.

  Prep Time: 60 minutes

Chilling Time: 60 minutes

  Baking Time: 65 minutes

  Serves: 10 people

INGREDIENTS

For the Almond Torte Base

  • 1 cup (100g) ground almonds
  • 1¼ cup (155g) all purpose flour
  • ½ cup (100g) sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 large egg

For the Sugar Plum Topping

  • 3 cups or so, about 400g Italian plums washed, pitted and diced.  

  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar plus 1 Tbsp 

  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon 

  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • ½ cup (63g) all purpose flour

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • ¼ tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Almond Torte Base

Squeeze some lemon juice over the cut plums.

  1. Grease and flour a 11” (28cm) flan pan.
  2. Combine ground almonds, flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a medium bowl or the bowl of a food processor.  
  3. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or pulse in the food processor, just until crumbly, not clumping.  
  4. Beat the egg in a measuring cup and add enough cold water to equal ¼ cup (65mL) of liquid.
  5. Add the egg mixture, stir or pulse just until it comes together.  It will still be crumbly in parts, probably.  
  6. Give it a bit of a knead, wrap it, flatten it, and refrigerate for about an hour.
  7. Roll and fit into the bottom and press it up the sides of the flan pan.  
  8. Dock the crust and put it in the freezer.
  9. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
  10. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (220°C) then 350°F (180°C) for 15 mins.  It will sink a bit. 
  11. Press the sides up using some of the bottom base while it is still hot.

Let cool before filling and baking again.

Sugar Plum Topping

  1. Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  2. Beat the eggs, ¾ cup sugar, and vanilla until pale, about 2 -3 minutes.
  3. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until combined.
  4. Fold in the melted butter.
  5. Pour about half of this into the baked crust, just to cover the bottom.
  6. Scatter the sliced plums into the batter, then pour the rest of the batter gently over so you don’t displace the plums.
  7. Combine the tablespoon of sugar with the ½ tsp of cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the top. 
  8. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes.

Let cool before cutting.