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1
Make the pastry In a bowl, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until fluffy.
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2
Fold in both flours, the almond extract and half of the beaten egg; reserve the rest of the egg for another use.
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3
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the pastry for 30 minutes.
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4
Preheat the oven to 350.
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5
Divide the pastry into 18 equal pieces.
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6
Press each piece evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 1-ounce tartlet mold (our molds were 4-by-1 3/4-by-1/3 inches).
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7
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and set.
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8
Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
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9
Remove the tartlet shells from the molds.
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10
Meanwhile, make the plum toppings In a saucepan, combine two-thirds of the chopped plums with the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water; bring to a boil.
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11
Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 30 minutes.
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12
Stir in the lemon juice and cook until slightly reduced, 5 minutes.
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13
Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
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14
Scrape the puree into a bowl and let cool; cover and refrigerate until firm and cold.
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15
In a small saucepan, combine the cream with the remaining plums and all of the crushed plum pits.
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16
Bring just to a simmer and cook over low heat until the cream is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 30 minutes.
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17
Strain the cream into a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
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18
Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 1 hour.
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19
Beat the cream to soft peaks.
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20
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the plum puree into each tartlet.
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21
Top with a dollop of the plum cream and serve.
