WHIMSICAL

There's nothing quite like the sweet, crisp flavors of autumn fruits, and when they're nestled in a rich, nutty tart filling, they become positively irresistible. This apple, pear, and plum frangipane tart is a dessert that embodies the best of the season's bountiful harvest. The buttery, deep dish crust is made possible by rolling and pressing it into a springform pan, making room for almost 3x the amount of delicious filling than your standard tart. The creamy almond filling topped with a colorful, layered spiral of fresh fruit on top, makes this dessert a real treat for both the eyes and the taste buds.

For the fruit filling:  

• 3 honey crisp apples; thinly sliced wedges

• 4 bartlett pears; thinly sliced wedges 

• 4 black plums; thinly sliced wedges

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup granulated sugar 

• ½ cup all purpose flour 

• 1 tbsp cinnamon 

• ½ tsp nutmeg 

• 2 tsp salt 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cubed butter and work into the dough with a pastry cutter, fork, or just your fingers until pea sized pieces of butter form in the flour mixture. 

3. Add the ice water and continue to work the dough for about a minute until it holds together when pressed into a ball, but chunks of butter are still visible. 

4. Flatten the dough into a 2 inch thick circle and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. 

5. Meanwhile, add all of the ingredients for the frangipane to a food processor. Blend for about 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated. It will still be somewhat grainy from the almond flour. Transfer the frangipane to a bowl and seal tightly with plastic wrap. Chill for at least one hour.  

6. Whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Add the sliced fruit to the mixture and stir until all of the fruit is fully coated. 

7. Remove the dough from the fridge and place on a floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a ¼ inch thick round. 

8. Place the dough to a springform pan that is 10” in diameter and about 3” deep. Press the dough into the bottom and sides so a flat, even crust forms. Use a fork to poke about 20 holes in the bottom and sides of the dough. 

9. Spread the frangipane in an even layer on top of the unbaked dough. 

10. Layer the pears, apples, and plums in a circular fashion, slighting overlapping each slice. Repeat this circle pattern in layers until all of the fruit is used or the pan is full to the top. Pour the excess liquid in the bottom of the bowl over the tart. 

11. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and place the tart in the oven. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and raise the temperature to 400 degrees. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. 

12. Let the tart sit in the pan at room temperature for at least 1 hour before removing from the pan and serving.