I love the rustic, free-form nature of galettes. They’re a relaxed alternative to intricately latticed pies and ideal for those who feel a little intimidated when it comes to homemade pastry. I make galettes throughout the year, simply switching fruits in and out to take advantage of whatever’s in season and available. This plum version might just be my absolute favourite.
Plum and almond galette
Cornflour thickens up some of the juices released by the plums, which helps avoid a soggy bottom.
Prep 25 min
Chill 2 hr+
Cook 50 min
Serves 6-8
For the pastry
175g plain flour
2 tbsp ground almonds
½ tsp salt
½ tbsp caster sugar
120g unsalted butter, cold and diced
Up to 80ml ice-cold water
For the filling
6 plums, ripe but firm
50g soft light brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cornflour
2 tbsp ground almonds
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp demerara sugar
1 handful flaked almonds
To make the pastry crust, mix the flour, almonds, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips, until you have a coarse mixture studded with pea-sized chunks of butter. Make a well in the centre and add the cold water one tablespoon at a time, using a table knife to stir it in; add just enough water so it begins to clump together (you may not need to use all the water).
Turn out the dough on to a lightly floured surface and gently knead for a few seconds to bring it together, taking care not to overwork it. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and chill for at least two hours, until firm.
While the pastry chills, make the filling. Remove the stones from the plums and cut them into ½cm-thick slices. Put these in a large bowl, mix in the sugar, vanilla, ground ginger and cornflour, then set aside.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Once the pastry has rested, put it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a large circle of about 30-35cm in diameter, giving the pastry a quarter-turn every couple of rolls, so it keeps the circular shape. Transfer to a lined baking tray and sprinkle all over with the ground almonds, leaving about 5cm clear around the edges.
Arrange the sliced plums on top, again leaving a thick border around the edges.Fold the overhanging pasty over the plum filling and chill for 20 minutes. Brush the edges with the beaten egg, and generously sprinkle the demerara sugar and flaked almonds over the plum filling. Bake for 45-50 minutes, then remove and leave to cool for a few minutes before serving hot or cold.
