Plum Galette with Thyme and Flaky Butter Crust
A rustic plum galette made with ripe Empress plums, fresh thyme, warm spices, and a flaky butter crust. The fruit bakes into a lightly jammy filling for an easy late-summer dessert that is beautiful enough to share.
Servings 6
Calories 340kcal
Ingredients
For The Crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (160 g)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (14 g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher (1 g) or fine sea salt
- 8 tablespoons cold butter (113 g) cut into small cubes
- ¼ cup ice water (75 g) + 1 tablespoon; as needed
For the Plum Filling
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (24 g)
- 6 medium red or black plums (about 570 g) halved, pitted, and cut into ⅛-inch (3 mm) slices
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (63 g) divided, + 1 tablespoon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (0.6 g)
- Pinch ground cardamom (0.1 g)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1 g)
- 1 ½ tablespoons cold butter (21 g) cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon milk (15 g) for brushing
Instructions
Make The Crust
- Preheat the oven. Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine.
- Cut in the butter. Add the cold cubed butter. Pulse in short, 1-second bursts about 10 times, until the butter is broken into pea-size pieces.
- Add the ice water. Add ¼ cup of the ice water and pulse several times. Add the remaining tablespoon only if needed. The dough should look crumbly but hold together when firmly pinched between your fingers.
- Gather the dough. Lay a clean tea towel on the work surface and pour the dough into the center. Bring the four corners of the towel together and twist gently to compress the crumbs into a rough ball.
- Shape and roll. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press it into a disk. Roll into a roughly 12-inch (30 cm) circle about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
Assemble the Galette
- Transfer the crust. Carefully move the rolled dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet before adding the filling.
- Create a moisture barrier. Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons flour evenly over the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch (5 cm) border around the edge. This helps absorb the plum juices as the galette bakes.
- Arrange the plums. Layer the sliced plums over the floured portion of the dough, keeping the outer border uncovered.
- Season the fruit. Combine ¼ cup of the sugar with the cinnamon, cardamom, and fresh thyme. Sprinkle evenly over the plums.
- Add the butter. Scatter the cold butter cubes over the fruit.
- Fold the crust. Fold the exposed dough up and over the outer edge of the plums, pleating the dough as you work around the galette. Leave the center open.
- Finish the crust. Brush the folded pastry lightly with milk. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over the crust.
- Bake until deeply golden. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the crust is crisp and golden brown and the plum juices are bubbling in the center.
- Cool before slicing. Let the galette cool on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes. This gives the plum juices time to thicken slightly before serving.
- Serve. Enjoy warm or at room temperature, as is, with softly whipped cream, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Keep the butter cold. Cold butter creates pockets of steam as the galette bakes, giving the crust its flaky texture. If the dough becomes noticeably soft or warm while you are working with it, refrigerate it briefly before assembling.
- Use ripe but firm plums. The best plums for a galette have developed good flavor but are still firm enough to slice cleanly. Very soft plums release more liquid and can make the center of the crust soggy.
- Don’t skip the flour beneath the fruit. That thin layer helps capture the juices released by the plums and creates a more concentrated, jammy filling.
- Storage: Fruit galettes are best the day they are baked. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For a crisper crust, reheat individual slices in a 325°F (163°C) oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 802IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg