In the last week we have been gifted a great deal of plums from 3 different people: 2 of our local farming family friends and my brother & sister in law from their own backyard. If you’re in the central valley, there’s a chance you are going to come across more fruit than you can eat (we’re super serious about our stone fruit around here). Every year around this time I play around with galettes and I think this is the recipe for us. It’s so rewarding to use seasonal (and local, in our case) fruit to enjoy in baked dishes. I love galettes because I’m not a traditional baker and there’s no traditional shape. You can make a dough from scratch (or buy one) and there’s less focus on how uniform or pretty it needs to be.
If it’s hot where you’re at, baking can be tricky. We grown some of the best summer fruits here in the central valley but we’re also dealing with 100+ heat that makes it difficult to avoid overworking the dough. Do what works for you. If it’s a particularly warm day, I’ll soak my hands in cold ice water for a minute, dry them, and use my hands, instead of a rolling pin, to shape my galette. It’s quicker and I have a better chance of keeping as many of those pea-shaped pieces of butter in my dough before baking, allowing for a more flaky crust.
I use the “Everyday Flaky Dough” recipe from Chef Zoe Nathan of Huckleberry in LA. Why mess with a recipe you already love? Back when we were dating we loved grabbing a savory brunch at Huckleberry and a sweet pastry to-go.
This is a great make-ahead dessert to serve at a gathering. If it were up to me, I’d put the galette out on a nice slate board to display and when it was time for dessert, scoop a few scoops of vanilla ice cream on top and eat family style! I say this because this crust is so flaky and beautiful but can crumble easily if you try to serve individual plates to your friends and guests.
-Jenny
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | 35-45 minutes |
| Passive Time | 1.5 hours |
| Servings |
people
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- 2 cups/250 g all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup/50 g sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup/220 g cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1/4 cup/60 ml water
- 1.5 lbs plums, pit removed and cut into slices just under 1/2" thick
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (+1/2 tablespoon to sprinkle on the edges) granulated sugar
- 3/4 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
FOR THE FILLING
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- To mix with a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt once to blend. Add the butter to the work bowl and pulse about three times until pea-size pieces form. Pour the water over the flour mixture and pulse another three times until the dough is only just starting to come together.
- To mix by hand, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a very large bowl. Stir to blend. Add the butter, working it between your fingertips until the pieces are pea- and lima bean-size. Add the water and lightly toss to distribute.
- The dough should be shaggy, dry, and clumpy. Dump it onto a clean work surface to bring the dough together by hand. (Do not flour the counter, as you do not want to add any more flour to the dough.)
- Begin by firmly pressing the entire surface of the dough with the heel of your palm. Toss and squeeze the dough to redistribute the wet and dry patches. Repeat, pressing thoroughly again with the heel of your palm, and continue pressing, tossing, and squeezing until the dough begins to hold together. But be sure not to overwork the dough! It should stay together but you should still see pea-size bits of butter running through.
- Press the dough into a disc ¾ in/2 cm thick, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or freeze for up to 1 month.
- When you’re ready to use the dough, if refrigerated for longer than 1 hour, allow the dough to warm up at room temperature for a few minutes. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before shaping. The dough should feel cold to the touch but malleable. Never allow the dough to become too soft or warm. Chill as needed while working.
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the egg and reserved 1/2 tablespoon sugar, and stir gently. Preheat oven to 375 On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough into a rough round around ⅛ inch thick. Transfer to a piece of parchment paper. [Note: if your dough gets a little sticky or becomes difficult to work with in the heat, roll/pat the dough directly on the parchment paper for an easier transfer]. Pile the mixture (or place to form a pretty design) into the center of the dough round leaving around 2 inch border. Fold the edges of the galette and brush with egg wash and sprinkle with the reserved sugar on the outer crust. Transfer the galette into the oven (I slid mine onto the preheated pizza stone) and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Remove the galette from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Transfer to serving platter and top (or don’t) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and enjoy!
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