Cheat's Plum Tarte

This is one of those infuriating recipes that fail to specify exact quantities. It all hangs on the number of people you are cooking for. It also brings out the versatility of cream cheese. You do not have to bother with making crème patissière and it still tastes very good. You can knock it up in about ten minutes.

Serves four or thereabouts

Puff pastry, 170g
Plums, 10 - 12
Cream cheese, 150g
Vanilla Extract
Caster sugar
Muscovado sugar

1. Roll out the pastry in a rectangle to the desired thickness, the thinner the better as the tart will cook quickly and the pastry will crisp. It should be about 4 ins wide and as long as you want it. Remember that transporting it onto a serving dish will be difficult if it is very long, so 12 ins is about the maximum (feeds 4 greedy people). Place on a greased baking tray.

2. Mix cream cheese with vanilla extract and few teaspoons of caster sugar and spread onto the pastry in a rectangle, leaving at least one inch border of pastry.

3. Halve and stone plums and place two by two until the cream cheese is covered.

4. Brush edges of pastry with milk (or beaten egg) and scrimp up the sides to form a case. Brush again with milk. Sprinkle over some muscovado sugar. Bake in a preheated oven at GM6, 400°F, 170° Elec Circo, 200°C, for about 20 to 25 minutes until golden.

5. Serve with cream.