Celebrate the Holidays with a Favorite Tuscan Dessert

The village of Montefollonico, Italy, is renowned for its rich culinary traditions, especially during the festive holiday season. It is also home to Tuscan Women Cook, the premier culinary immersion program that has welcomed guests since 2000. Nestled in the rolling hills of Tuscany, this picturesque village is celebrated for its warmth, cuisine, and a beloved dessert: crostata, a simple yet elegant jam tart perfect for the holidays or any time of year.

Traditionally served for both dessert and breakfast, crostata’s appeal lies in its versatility. The fillings vary with the seasons, from grape jam during the wine harvest to blackberry jam made from wild berries harvested along the roadside. And for the holidays, what could be more fitting than a crostata filled with wild plum jam, evoking the flavors of classic holiday plum tarts enjoyed worldwide?

Guests of Tuscan Women Cook are treated to nonna Donatella’s wild plum crostata at the conclusion of their lunch class at the beloved Ristorante 13 Gobbi. Paired with local delights like limoncello and grappa, this dessert makes a lasting impression.

If you’re dreaming of a holiday season filled with authentic Tuscan flavors, consider incorporating this Wild Plum Crostata into your holiday traditions. It’s not just a dessert but a celebration of seasonal bounty and the love of family gatherings.

Wild Plum Crostata

Serves 8

In Montefollonico, the nonne like to fill their crostata with wild plum or apricot jam, a local favorite. During the holiday season, it’s common to see families gather around a table adorned with this rustic tart, enjoying the warm and inviting flavors it brings. The dough is a buttery delight, made richer by melted butter and egg yolks, giving the crust its golden hue. Light and crisp, the texture of this crostata crust is often described as a “cookie cloud,” offering a delicate yet satisfying crunch.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 8 ounces butter, melted and cooled
• grated zest of orange or lemon
• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• 1-¼ to 1-½ cups wild plum jam or other fruit jam such as apricot or blueberry

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter then line a 12-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Make a parchment paper sling to help remove the crostata from the pan after baking. Cut a strip of parchment paper 2-inches wide and at least 16 inches long.   Lay the strip in the pan. Allow the extra paper to hang over the sides of the pan.

Whisk together the sugar, egg yolks and whole egg in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in the melted butter. Add the zest, flour and baking powder.  Stir until it comes together into a soft dough.

Set aside approximately one cup of the dough. Spoon the remaining thick dough into the prepared pan. Using your fingers, press the dough into an even layer that covers the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides.

Warm the jam so that it will spread easier. Then, pour the warm jam over the dough in the pan. Use a spatula to spread it out into an even layer.

Place remaining dough on a floured work surface. Knead it then roll it about ¼-inch thick. Cut the dough into thin strips.  Position the strips in a lattice pattern on top of the jam.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes until the edges of the crust are golden and the lattice is firm.

Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.  When cool use the parchment paper slip to carefully lift the crostata out of the pan.

ABOUT TUSCAN WOMEN COOK: Tuscan Women Cook is the unique and popular culinary immersion vacation located in the heart of Tuscany celebrating the food and culture of the Italian region in the charming village of Montefollonico.

Each day of the week-long program, guests learn to cook authentic Italian recipes from some of the best cooks in all of Italy…the local grandmothers, or nonne of Montefollonico. These extraordinary women teach their cooking classes sharing family recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation. Since 2000, Tuscan Women Cook has earned widespread acclaim as the original total immersion culinary experience in Tuscany.

Tuscan Women Cook’s week-long program runs during the months of May, June, September, and October. For more information on Tuscan Women Cook and recipes, visit their website, TuscanWomenCook.com.

Recipe and photo may be reprinted with the following credit:  Recipe and photo reprinted with permission of Tuscan Women Cook and Ristorante 13 Gobbi.