Plums Baked in Toasted Almond Cream

In the middle of the summer, when everyone at the Greenmarket is busy buying up the raspberries, blueberries, and peaches, I turn to the small, almost-secret collection of plums. Some of the varieties, like Burbank, Shiro, and New Jersey sugar plums, last only a week or two on the stands. You may not find those varieties, but Santa Rosa plums are widely available and make a perfect tart.