Plum pie with almonds

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1.5-2 tsp anise seeds (optional)
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature (140 g)
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 1 and 3/4 cups premium flour
• Ice cream or whipped cream, for serving
• Special equipment: springform pan with a diameter of 22 cm.

Filling

• 1.5 cups sliced ​​almonds with skins + 1/4 cup for garnish
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 350 g ripe firm Italian plums or Angelino (about 10 pcs.), remove pits and cut into 4 pieces

Preparation:

1. Cake:
   
   If using anise seeds, lightly toast them in a frying pan over medium heat until fragrant, 2 minutes. Grind in a spice grinder or mortar until finely ground. Combine the butter and sugar in a food processor and blend until creamy. Add the egg, ground anise, vanilla extract, and salt and mix. The mixture may appear coarse and curdled, but don't worry, it will eventually smooth out.
2. Add about half the flour and pulse briefly 3-4 times to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the processor and add the remaining flour. Pulse until you have a rough, crumbly dough. Pour the dough into a 9-inch springform pan and press it into the bottom and up the sides to form a thin, even layer (see photo). Smooth it out with waxed paper. Place the dough in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
3. Filling:
   
   Grind 1 1/4 cups almonds in a food processor until very finely ground (be careful not to turn the almonds into a paste). Transfer the almonds to a bowl. In the same processor, combine the butter and sugar and pulse until smooth. Add the cinnamon and continue to pulse until evenly distributed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold in the egg. Add the ground almonds and pulse to combine. Arrange the plums, cut-side down, on top of the dough.
4. Spoon the filling over the top and smooth it out with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with the remaining almonds and freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the pie until the filling is golden brown but still slightly soft in the center, 1 hour 15 minutes for a glass-bottomed pan or 1 hour 30 minutes for an aluminum pan. If the crust starts to brown, cover the pie with foil 15 minutes before the end of the baking process.
5. When the pie is done, turn off the oven and open the door. Cool the pie in the oven for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve the pie at room temperature with ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.

6. Prepare in advance

   
   The pie can be assembled and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Bake, without defrosting, for about 1.5 hours.
   
   The finished pie can be tightly wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before serving.