Warm weather in western Canada means stone fruit galore. Stone fruit = plums, peaches peaches, cherries cherries, apricota apricots...basically all the good ones. I didn’t even know I liked (like is an understatement) plums until last summer when I bought a shit ton from a random fruit stand 2 hours outside of Kelowna. These fruit tortes are the best kind of dessert - crusty golden outside, soft inside, flavoured with sticky caramelized fruit juices and cinnamon sugar. They are also highly difficult to mess up. Add your own touch by experimenting with the fruit, and this recipe will quickly become one of your faves.
Makes 1 large torte for 4 mini tortes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup white or raw sugar
1 cup white flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots OR 1/3 cup berries of your choice
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 inch tart pan (alternatively, you can use a pie pan, a springform pan, or 4 mini tart pans). In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (around 3 minutes).
2. Add the flour, salt and baking powder. Beat again until combined. Mixture should be fairly crumbly.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, as well as the vanilla extract. The batter should be quite thick.
4. Spread the batter out into the greased pan(s). If using larger whole fruit, slice into wedges. If using berries, leave whole (except strawberries. Strawberries should be sliced). Arrange fruit on top of the torte. Drizzle with lemon juice, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.
5. Bake the torte in your preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until golden. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
