Fruit Crumble Tart

Make any seasonal fruit into a tart with this shortbread recipe. One dough makes both the tart base and the buttery crumble topping.

Clockwise from top left: peaches; Tartine All Day; whole tart; To Catch a Thief with tart; tart slice

I highly recommended this as picnic item while touring the French Riviera in your convertible :)

The dough for this tart is based on my GF shortbread recipe, and is used for the base and topping. Shortbread is native to Scotland, and is based on a ratio of one part sugar, two parts butter and three parts flour, and is the perfect base for many pastries. It’s similar to Italian pasta frolla and Sbriciolata, as well as Millionaire’s Shortbread, and lemon bars, and countless other pastries with a not-to-sweet, buttery crust.

This tart is very quick make—like a sophisticated jam bar—and easily made vegan with a butter substitute. The dough’s characteristic melt-in-your mouth crumb makes it a recipe perfect for gluten-free baking where we uses flours higher in starch. Don’t be afraid to let the shortbread bake long enough to get a little color. It adds a delicious flavor when the butter browns a touch, and ensures a crisp cookie, especially when paired with fruit or jam, as in this recipe.

RECIPE

Yields: One 9-inch or 10-inch tart

• 500g peaches / about 4 medium size, sliced (if using very juicy fruit, add 2 tsp of cornstarch or tapioca starch)

• 2 Tbs sugar

• 2 Tbs water (to prevent fruit from scorching)

• 240g / 1C + 1 Tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 120g / 1/2 C + 2 tsp sugar

• 225g / 2 1/4 C almond flour

• 175g / 1 1/4 C GF flour

• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350f.

Cook the peaches, sugar and water gently over medium heat until fruit is just soft. Cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and creamy, about one minute. Add the sugar and continue to beat until fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Combine flours, cinnamon (if using), and salt in a large bowl. Stir well, then add to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix just until incorporated. 

Press half the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan or tart pan 1/4-inch thick, and par-bake until just baked through, 10–12 minutes.

Spoon cooled fruit over par-baked base. Crumble remaining dough on top (you may have some dough leftover, depending on tart shell size). To make larger “crumbles,” take a few tablespoons of dough and press it together in your hand and break pieces apart over the top.

Bake for another 12-15 minutes, or until topping has lightly browned. Cool before slicing.

Keeps at room temperature for 2 days, refrigerated for a week.