Plum Galette

Another stone fruit-filled pastry dessert for you guys. This spiced plum galette is perfect for the transition from summer to fall - filled with the ripest fruit and the warmest spices.

Making a galette can seem kind of intimidating - the folding of the pie crust and the placement of the fruit seem crucial. Also, it has a French name so I’m aways automatically assuming it’ll be a baking challenge. Not so, this galette came together so easily, and was actually much easier than baking a regular pie!

I began by pitting and slicing the plums. I try whenever I can to use fresh fruit when making a pie or tart, especially if that fruit is in season. I saw these black plums at the grocery store and they were just so big and plump I couldn’t resist!

The next step is to make the galette crust, also called pate brisee, or shortcrust pastry. The dry ingredients are mixed, then the cold butter is cut in to create a light, flaky pastry.

I’m keeping it as simple as possible with the plums, simply stir all ingredients together to create your filling! No peeling, cooking or heating required - simply place all the plums in a bowl, add the rest of the ingredients, and stir! Plums can be kind of unique in baking - unlike peaches or apples the flesh doesn’t break down or quite as much or get very soft. For me, I love the texture that this galette offers, but if you like a softer feel to your fruit, I would recommend combining all ingredients for the filling in a large pot and cooking for 5-10 minutes.

Serves: 6-8 | Prep: 1 hr 30 min. | Cook: 1 hr. | Author: Liz Genders

pate brisee

1 1/2 cup flour

1 Tbs. sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick of cold, cubed butter

4 Tbs ice water

2 Tbs sour cream

plum filling

2 lbs. plums, pitted and sliced

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1 Tbs cornstarch

egg wash

coarse sugar

method

Begin by preparing the shortcrust pastry, or pate brisee. Mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter in small half tablespoon chunks. Using a pastry blender or your clean fingers, break the butter down so that the mixture resembles crumbs. The largest chunk of butter should be no bigger than a pea. Add in 2 Tbs of the ice water, followed by the 2 Tbs of the sour cream. Mix with your hands. If the dough comes together, you might not need any more water, but if it is still crumbly, add in one or two more tablespoons of ice water. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set in the fridge to chill for 30 min to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare the filling by placing all the plums in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir gently, so as not to pull the skins away from the plums.

Remove the dough from the fridge, and roll out into a large circle, about 1/3 of an inch thick. Place the plums in the center of the pastry dough in flat mound, leaving at least 2-3 inches of room at the edge of the dough. There may be extra liquid with the plums - do not pour this on top as it will leak while baking and make your pastry soggy. Fold the edges of the pastry over top of the plum filling in increments of about 3-4 inches long, until you’ve created an edge around the whole galette. Be sure that the seams of each fold are tight so they will hold while baking. Brush the edges of the pastry with an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the pastry is a lovely golden-brown.