Rachel Khoo: Little Tarts

Plums have taken over my life or, to be more accurate, my local market.

They are abundant and come in countless shapes and sizes, from tiny Mirabelles, little bigger than a cherry, to the perfumed, green golfball-size Reine Claude, pointy purple plums (similar to Victoria plums), and round, shiny aubergine-coloured red plums. Buying a bag at the market is easy and cheap — resisting the urge to guzzle them on the way home is the difficult part.

Apples are the traditional topping for a tarte Tatin but plums work just as well. Choose fruit that’s on the firm side rather than squishy as those will just disintegrate when baked.

Mini plum tartes tatin

Makes six

250g gold-quality puff pastry
12 firm Victoria plums, de-stoned and halved

For the caramel
100g sugar
2 knobs of soft butter
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Butter six 8cm ramekins. Make the caramel by sprinkling a thin layer of sugar over the base of a heavy-bottomed pan. Place on a medium heat and once the sugar starts to melt, add some more. Repeat a couple of times until all the sugar has melted. Continue heating the caramel, swirling it around in the pan (do not stir).

When it is almost the colour of Coca-Cola, take the pan off the heat and swirl in the butter (stand back as it may splutter) and add the salt. Divide the caramel between the six ramekins and place two halved plums in each. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it is 1cm thick and cut out six discs a few millimetres bigger than the ramekins. Prick all over with a fork and then tuck them over the plums. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is puffy and golden. Turn out and serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.