Victoria's Peach Plum Shortbread Tart

“Movin’ to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches!”  As you can tell I’m really into peaches these days.  Over the weekend I made a ton of peach jam which I’ve been handing out like crazy.  I love pies and tarts, but quite honestly I am really not into pie crust.  I often make my “pies” with a shortbread crust instead of using the traditional boring pie crust.  I think that you just may like this recipe. 

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 Tablespoons Quick Cooking Tapioca

3/4 Cups Sugar

1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg

1/2 Cup Water

3 Large Pitted and Sliced Peaches

2 Pitted and Sliced Yellow Plums

1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

For The Shortbread Crust:

1/2 Cup Softened Butter (Not Melted)

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 1/4 Cup Unbleached Flour

Preheat your oven to 325° F. In a large size saucepan combine the tapioca, sugar, kosher salt, nutmeg, water  and 1 1/2 cups of the sliced peaches and plums.  Bring to a boil over a medium heat and stir constantly.  Remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and the remaining peaches and plums.  Set aside and let cool.  In the meantime, make the crust.  In a medium size bowl mix together the butter and sugar with a fork, Add the kosher salt to the flour.  Work in the flour until you have a crumb like consistency.  Mix thoroughly with your hands to form a soft dough.  Press evenly into the bottom and sides of an 8 inch round cake pan.  Make sure to prick the bottom all over with a fork.  Place into the oven and bake for 35 minutes.  Remember that all ovens heat differently so you may want to check at 30 minutes.  You will want the shortbread crust to be lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Once it has COMPLETELY cooled gently remove it from the pan.  If the shell does stick a bit then warm it up a little over a gentle heat.  Place the crust onto a cake plate.  Fill the crust with the peach and plum mixture just before serving.  Serves 6

Oh and if you don’t recognize the song lyric it’s by a band called, The Presidents of the United States of America.  

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