Plums are in season right now, so get your hands one some good ones while you still can!
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I recently managed to get my hands on a number of Flavor King Plums from Fog Hollow Farm located up near San Francisco. These plums are absolutely gorgeous. Vibrantly-hued and fragrant, the Flavor Kings just explode with sweet-tart juice at first bite, and somehow they manage to stay firm when ripe. A perfect fruit for baking!
To honor this seasonal beauty, I decided to slice and bake them into flaky, golden galette (like a pie, but easier to make). This recipe starts with a simple mix of white sugar, brown sugar, flour and salt, tossed together with the sliced plums. The slices are then arranged in concentric circles on top of a smooth slab of butter-flecked pie dough. I like to make my own pie dough (more about that below), but you could certainly use store-bought. The galette is formed by bringing the sides of the dough up around the fruit, and then everything is baked until golden and bubbly.
This galette captures the pure essence of these Flavor King Plums. Enjoy as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I should mention too that this recipe is more of a template that can be applied to many other seasonal fruits. Don’t have gorgeous plums? Try peaches, nectarines, apricots, pluots or berries instead. You could even use apples or pears in the autumn months! Continue reading for the recipe.
I mentioned above that I really love making my own pie crust. The process is simple, but does take a try or two to get down. Since my last galette, I’ve updated my pie crust recipe just a bit with the additions of sugar, baking powder and more salt. The sugar sweetens things up just a bit and helps with caramelization, the baking powder adds some extra lift, and the salt adds more flavor. I also now bake my crust for a longer period of time. Deeply golden (even dark in some spots) color = more flavor!
Plum Galette
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 tablespoons vanilla sugar (or just white sugar)
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 pounds firm ripe plums, pitted and sliced
- 1 Flaky Pie Crust Recipe (see below)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small bits
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon half and half (heavy cream or whole milk ok here too)
- Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (or more white sugar)
Instructions
- Combine vanilla sugar, brown sugar, flour and a pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl, stirring to combine. Add sliced plums, and gently toss to evenly coat. Set aside.
- Preheat an oven to 400°F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 13-inch diameter circle. You can lightly sprinkle additional flour on the dough, surface and rolling pin if you find the dough is sticking. Rotate the disc occasionally as you roll to make sure the dough is not sticking to the work surface. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet.
- Arrange the sliced plums in a series of concentric circles in the center of the crust, leaving a 2-inch border of dough around the edges. Fold the dough up around the filling. Start by folding one edge over the filling. Fold an adjacent edge the same way. There will be a pleat between the two edges. Repeat this process around the entire galette. Dot the exposed fruit with butter bits. Beat the egg yolk and half and half together in a small bowl (egg wash), then brush the edges of the crust with the egg wash mixture. Sprinkle the crust evenly with turbinado sugar.
- Bake the galette for 50 - 55 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown. Don't be afraid of color here. Small spots of caramelization = more flavor! Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack, and let cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to a serving platter.
Updated Flaky Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (253 grams) all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cubed and very cold (chill in the freezer for 30 minutes)
- 4 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Place flour, sea salt, baking powder and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cubed butter, and pulse 3 - 5 times until the butter is the size of peas. Drizzle in water over the flour mixture and pulse another 3 - 5 times until the dough is just starting to come together. It will look very crumbly, but the dough should stick together if you pinch a little bit your fingers.
- Dump the dough on to a clean work surface, and bring together using your hands. Press and squeeze the dough until it starts to hold together, then form into a flat disc. Don't overwork the dough here. You should still see bits of butter throughout the dough.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or up to 1 day).
Check out some of my other seasonal dessert recipes on Kitchen Konfidence:
Yogurt Panna Cotta with Easy Plum Compote
Fig Cakes with Vanilla Glaze
Peach Gingersnap Ice Cream Sandwiches
Brown Butter Snacking Cake with Sliced Peaches
Peach Brown Butter Buckle [Reader Favorite!]
Frozen Mojito Melon Skewers
I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!
Arthur in the Garden! says
Yummy!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Arthur!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
Your galette is beautiful and that is impressive that you like making your own pie crust. Me….not so much 🙂 I love the gorgeous juicy plums in this!
Brandon Matzek says
Making pie crust was a little daunting at first, but now that I’ve done it many, many, many times, I find it very easy 😛 They keep well in the freezer too!
sippitysup says
I agree, most pies (and galettes) are just not cooked long enough. Good tip. GREG
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Greg! I was always worried that I would overcook the crust (my previous galette recipe does look a bit blond), but now I’ve learned it’s a good thing to get a lot of color!
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
That looks like the perfect use for fresh plums! We are up to our ears in those these days, might have to try a galette like this 🙂
Brandon Matzek says
Give it a go, and let me know how you like it. Thanks June :)!
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says
Galettes are just so great. I mean, how can you not love something that tastes pretty much exactly like a pie but is about 100000x times easier! I love your gif of the construction process too, it looks amazing!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks so much Claudia, and I totally agree!!
Ginny McMeans says
You are a master! Gorgeous PLUM GALETTE and love your photos.
Brandon Matzek says
Awww, thanks Ginny!!
Patty K says
Simply beautiful, Brandon. It’s the perfect dessert to ease out of summer and into fall 🙂
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Patty!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Mmmm, this looks so yummy and that crust looks perfect! We have a French friend visiting us for a couple of weeks from Paris and I told her one of the things we need to make together before she leaves is a galette. Fresh plums are a perfect choice right now!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Kimberly!! This would be a perfect project to do with your friend friend. Be sure to share any inside tips she might have 😉
cristina says
Such perfection and meticulous detail in the arrangement of these delicious plums! I’ve never made a galette and need to while stone fruits are still so abundant and at their best right now. Just lovely, Brandon!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Cristina! It looks meticulous, but I didn’t really take that long 😛 That’s why I love galettes – simple and beautiful! Stone fruit work really well in a galette, but you could also use figs, apples and pears. Most fruit really!
Cynthia/What A Girl Eats says
Beautiful galette! I love free-form pies!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Cynthia!
Lynn @ Order in the Kitchen says
I absolutely adore this galette!! Galettes are one of my favorite things to make and I love plums! I saw this earlier in my Bloglovin but then again when How Sweet Eats linked to you in Currently Crushing On (I was honored to also be included alongside people as amazing as you!) and had to come leave a comment because I’m obsessed with this recipe!! Well done! Bravo.
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks for stopping by Lynn!! I also love making galettes. They’re so simple and low-maintenance 🙂
Megan {Country Cleaver} says
This galette is a thing of beauty!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks so much Megan 🙂
Matt @ Plating Pixels says
This is so goegeous! I just made a fig galette, which was my first. Plum sounds amazing too!
Brandon Matzek says
Mmmmmm, a fig galette sounds fantastic! Thanks Matt.
Christiane - Taking On Magazines says
I’ve never heard of Flavor King plums…I wonder if they’re accessible only to the northwest (I’m in the southeast). They’re gorgeous, though, and made for a spectacular dessert.
Brandon Matzek says
I’m not sure how far they ship! We do get them down here in Southern California. Thanks Christiane!