A deliciously rustic plum galette recipe that make a flavorful celebration of the season.
Why you'll love it
This is a delicious way to celebrate those sweet, juicy plums. This is a freeform pie baked on a sheet pan and is perfect for anyone who loves a high crust to filling ratio.
Anyone who is intimidated by making pie crust or baking a pie will love this recipe. The crust is foolproof and doesn't require a lot of skill or know-how to make. There is no fancy crimping or decorations involved. In fact, the beauty of the galette is how rustic it is supposed to look and feel.
What is a galette
A galette is a type of French pastry that's essentially a free-form, rustic pie or tart. It originated in France but has gained popularity in many other parts of the world as well. Galettes are known for their simple preparation and rustic appearance, making them a great option for home bakers. You may also hear it called rustic plum tart (American) or a plum crostata (Italian).
Key ingredients
The ingredients needed to make this easy plum dessert is a short list. It uses mostly pantry staple ingredients which helps the plums to truly shine.
Butter - For the best all-butter galette dough, you need to use frozen unsalted butter. The cold butter will create beautiful flakes when baked.
Sugar - The galette dough is best when made with granulated sugar, but I recommend using brown sugar for the filling. The molasses flavor pairs well with the plums and spices.
Plums - There are a lot of plum varieties available. Like apples, some are better for baking than others. Here are the ones that work the best for baking: Italian plums, Santa Rosa plums, Damson plums, Black Amber plums.
Cornstarch - A small amount of cornstarch helps to thicken the juices of the plums. You can substitute it with flour.
You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
How to make
Putting together a plum galette is incredibly simple and can be a lot of fun!
- Mix together the dry ingredients for the galette dough and then cut in the butter. Add in iced water as needed just to make the mixture stick together when pressed.
- Press the dough into a disc and wrap tightly. Chill for an hour.
- Slice your plums into ¼-inch thick slices. Toss with the brown sugar, cornstarch, spices, orange zest, salt, and vanilla.
- Roll out the dough into a large circle and arrange the plums around the circle, leaving a border at the edges.
- Fold the edges over the plums and brush with the egg wash.
- Bake until golden and the plum juices are bubbling.
Expert baking tips
Do not be tempted to load on extra layers of plum. They are very juicy and the juices will soak through the galette dough leaving you with a soggy mess.
You don't need to peel the skin of the plums if you don't want to.
Leave the dough out for about 5 - 10 minutes before rolling out to help prevent tons of cracks in the dough. If cracks do form, you can use your hands to press them back together.
Once you've rolled out the galette dough, transfer it to your baking sheet before adding the plums.
Leave a border of about 1 ½ - 2-inches to fold over the plums.
Recipe Card
Plum Galette
Ingredients
- 2½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup frozen butter cut in cubes
- ½ cup ice water
- 6-7 plums sliced
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- egg wash 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the flour, salt, and sugar,. Pulse to mix.
- Add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembled coarse crumbs. Run the food processor on low and drizzle in the ice water just until it comes together.
- Turn the mixture onto plastic wrap and shape into a large disc. Tightly wrap and chill for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a large disc that is about ¼ inch thick. It is okay if the edges are imperfect - it adds to the character!
- Mix together the plums, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, zest, salt, and vanilla together until well combined.
- Arrange the plums on the dough working from the center outward. Leave a border around the plums. Fold the border over the plum slices.
- Brush the egg wash on the folded over edge of the galette.
- Gently transfer the galette to a baking sheet. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the plums are cooked through.
Notes
- Do not be tempted to load on extra layers of plum. They are very juicy and the juices will soak through the galette dough leaving you with a soggy mess.
- You don't need to peel the skin of the plums if you don't want to.
- Leave the dough out for about 5 - 10 minutes before rolling out to help prevent tons of cracks in the dough. If cracks do form, you can use your hands to press them back together.
- Once you've rolled out the galette dough, transfer it to your baking sheet before adding the plums.
- Leave a border of about 1 ½ - 2-inches to fold over the plums.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Gorgeous galette Amanda! I bet your sister loved it! Looks like such an interesting book!