Been wanting to try the guided sweet short crust pasty for months. Found this tempting award winning Watties recipe, it was time to try it. Like many recipes for the first time there are always certain aspects that may feel not quite right. The almond filling in the published recipe was more than enough for two 20cm tarts instead of just one. And an 850g tin of Watties Doris Plums can be perfectly  divided into to two tarts. And one quantity of pastry from one guided  sweet shortcrust pastry is enough for two 20cm tarts. So we ended up with two lovely tarts, one eaten for afternoon tea and dessert another put in fridge for dessert during the week. The sweet shortcrust pastry is great; sweet and crunchy, the tart is delicious served  with whipped cream or yoghurt.

Converted recipe for the Thermomix

Plum and Almond Tart (makes 2 x 20cm tarts)

• 700g sweet short crust pastry (one portion of guided recipe)
• 150g butter
• 150g sugar ( I reduced to 130g)
• 1 large egg
• 210g ground almonds
• 1 TB pistachios, shelled and chopped (opt)
• 850g can Watties Black Doris Plums

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Grease or line with baking paper 20cm pie plates.
2. Make one quantity of the guided sweet short crust pastry. Roll out the pastry and line pie plates with it. ( Can save half the pastry and filling in fridge for another day) Prick pastry with fork and bake 8-10 minutes.
3. Cream butter and sugar, mix in egg. Then fold in ground almonds. (Thermomix tip from forum to cream butter and sugar – blitz  sugar on speed 9 for about 10 secs then add the  butter.  Soften by heating to  37 degree to soften your butter on soft speed for a minute before whipping with butterfly on speed 4 (no faster when you are using your butterfly) for about 30 secs to a minute.)
4. Dot or place the almond filling into the cooked pastry. Drain plums, cut in half removing pips and place cheek side up on the filling. Doesn’t matter if the filling is not smooth, it smooths out when baking.
5. Bake 30-40 mins, serve with cream or yoghurt. ( 30 minutes for our oven)

The sweet shortcrust pastry should make delicious base for apple pies. Only  takes a a couple minutes to make the pastry in tmx , just needed to cool in fridge for an hour after.