Nectarine-Plum Kuchen

Kuchen is the German answer to fruit tart, and this version showcases summer stone fruit at its best. Thin slices of nectarine and plum fan across a buttery, cookie-like crust that’s firm enough to slice but tender enough to crumble in your mouth.

The crust is a press-in dough, not a rolled one, which makes it forgiving to work with. Butter, brown sugar, almond extract, egg, and flour come together into a soft dough that goes into the fridge for 30 minutes. That chill firms the butter so you can press it evenly into the tart pan without it sticking to your fingers or pulling away from the sides.

Almond extract is the quiet detail that ties everything together. Just a quarter teaspoon adds a warm, nutty fragrance that enhances stone fruit the way vanilla never could. The peach jam brushed over the hot tart right after baking creates a glossy finish and seals in the fruit’s juices.

Kitchen Tips

• Slice the fruit thin and uniform. Thick slices won’t cook through in the baking time, and uneven slices mean some are soft while others are still firm.
• Don’t skip the 30-minute chill. Warm dough is impossible to press evenly and sticks to everything.
• Use a tart pan with a removable bottom. Trying to unmold this from a regular pie plate will crack the crust.
• Brush the jam on while the tart is still warm. It melts into a thin, even glaze. Cold tart, cold jam, lumpy finish.

Variations

• Use peaches instead of nectarines, or go all-plum for a deeper, more tart flavor.
• Add a tablespoon of ground almonds to the dough for extra nuttiness that echoes the extract.
• Replace peach jam with apricot preserves, which is the classic European choice for glazing fruit tarts.