Feather-Light Filo Tart with Plums
This shapeless piece of tart might look quite ordinary, but it’s one of the best baked sweet treats I have made in years. Wondering what dessert might bring out the best in my beloved violet oval plums (the ones that become prunes), I substituted filo sheets for the usual tart crust, the solution I have been seeing quite often on internet. This change did all I had hoped for and even much more: the thin flaky layers of Greek pastry didn’t take attention away from the plums, didn’t bring useless heaviness, carbs, calories… but encased them with a crisp delicate “frame”. This lightest tart in my cooking experience was an unforgettable discovery that will certainly lead to further filo experiments with sweet dishes.
TIPS: Most cakes (made by family or friends or bought in pastry shops) are much too sweet for me, so whenever I bake, I cut down the sugar’s amount by half in most recipes. If you consider most cakes you are served or buy normally sweet, then you should double (at least) the sugar amount sprinkled on fruits.
This tart serves four to six people, but since it is a particularly light and thin, I’d recommend dividing it into six only if you serve it after a very rich meal.
Given the big amount of fruits and the thinness of filo sheets, this tart will be soft underneath, only sides will be crisp.
UPDATE: I made this tart a couple of days ago once again with plums from a different source. Given the results I don’t recommend preparing it with very watery and acid plums. Plums should be slightly “meaty”, sweet and firm. Otherwise, the tart becomes too mushy and much too acid. I recommend organic plums because these have given me extraordinary results.
Preparation: about one hour
Ingredients (serves four, max. six; fills a 22 x 14 cm/about 8,5 x 5,5 in dish):
3 sheets of filo pastry
4 tablespoons cane sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
about 500 g stoned and halved oval violet plums
(1 tablespoon almond slivers)
Preheat the oven at 180°C.
Grease a baking dish with butter.
Spread a sheet of filo pastry, sprinkle half of it with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Fold onto the sweetened part.
Butter the top of the sheet, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon sugar and cover with another sheet, prepared the same way.
Repeat with the third sheet the same way.
Place the three folded sheets into a baking dish.
Cut them to adjust to the dish’s shape (it should fit the dish’s bottom size + about 2 cm on all sides).
Brush the top layer of the filo pastry with butter and sprinkle some sugar again.
Place the halves of plums very tightly, overlaying each other on top of the tart.
Sprinkle with the rest of sugar and with almond slivers, if using.
Fold the edges inside, so that you obtain rounded edges (this is only for aesthetic reasons). Brush them with butter.
Bake until the edges are golden brown (after 30 minutes, check every ten minutes, so that it doesn’t burn).
I’m glad you found a base to showcase those gorgeous plums. The vibrant colour caught my eye immediately. I need to buy some more phyllo and throw it into my freezer so I can whip up some goodies soon. I thought of using a frangipane under the plums as soon as I saw your mention of using almond slivers in the the recipe.
Thank you so much, A_Boleyn. Of course frangipane goes perfectly with plums, but it would make this tart no longer so light…
How gorgeous are your plums? I especially love how shiny and caramelized they are. I recently had some brûléed over ice cream but now I need this next in my life!
Thanks a lot, Squishy Monster.
Our tastes in the sweetness of foods is the same so I know I would enjoy this tart just the way you prepared it.
Thank you so much, Karen.
Definitely delicious and worth to try dessert recipe!!
nice quicky filo pastry sweet bites
pretty damn beautifully captured too….
Thank you, Dedy.
Oh my, what a beautiful looking tart – the colors are just lovely! I’m not sure I’d be able to hold off eating this dessert before photographing it ;-). I can well imagine how light a pastry the phyllo would render, such a great idea to use it here instead of heavier traditional pastries and you know I’m with you on the preference for less sugar (sometimes I forget this is not the norm, and my boys politely request that I make “regular” muffins or cookies when their friends visit… they are very aware! too cute). I wish my plum tree was still in bloom!!
Thank you so much, Kelly. It did look a bit better before I cut it… but once I started to taste bit by bit, there was no way I could photograph the baking dish 😉 I do love the standard buttery French pastry, but I sometimes want something sweet and super light at the same time… Filo pastry seems the perfect solution! I understand your sons… on the other hand I’m sure you got them used to less sweet desserts! Pity you no longer have your plums. Here they are still in shops and markets.
I think you and I have the same tolerance to sweet desserts so I’m sure this one would be perfect. I love how rich the plums baked down to. I wonder where I could find these type of plums in my area. We have my niece and bf coming for dinner on Friday to celebrate her becoming a lawyer last Friday and she has only requested a low fat and low calorie dinner, perfect timing for this delightful recipe.
Thank you so much, Eva. I thought that these oval plums were quite international, at least in Western countries (these are the ones that are dried to become prunes). I’m sure this tart would be perfect with any other plum or seasonal fruit though. If only I could request such things when visiting… This tart is definitely good for those who watch their waistline.
You know my love for phyllo and I love plums too! This is a delicious tart and I, too, don’t like my desserts overly sweet!
Thank you so much, Katerina. Every time I bake anything with phyllo I think about you and wonder if you would like it…
Interesting thought. I never used filo pastry in a tart recipe but I do get the feather light concept.
Thanks for sharing Sissi and hope you have been doing well. =)
Thank you, Helene. It’s a completely guiltless tart (and I need such sweets regularly!).
Baked plum recipe!!! My husband bought bunch of plums but they have been sitting in the fridge… I know it “can” be sweet but could be sour… and I’ve been reluctant to peel. Plum tart sounds perfect. We probably add a bit more sugar or honey maybe. It sounds delicious and will be a nice after meal dessert!
Thank you so much, Nami. You add as much sugar as you want of course. You should taste them first to see how sour they are (do you really peel plums? I have never heard about it… plum skin has a lot of flavours). It’s much nicer than a regular tart after a meal because it’s really light thanks to filo.
Oh tell me about it! More work for me… only my son prefers plums to be peeled and he loves plums… We actually ate some this morning and it was sweet!
He is lucky to have such a kind mum! I think when one day you consider him big enough to handle a peeler and he has to do it on his own, he will quickly abandon this idea 😉 It must be really tiring!
Looks so good! I have to get some plums. You always make nice looking dishes and so enticing.
Thank you so much for the compliments.