Plum and Blackberry Galette. (Vegan options)

Pastry making is almost like therapy. It is so satisfying and calming, it’s my form of meditation. I really like the way just a few basic ingredients flour, butter and water can be used in so many ways, it’s magic! Also the fact that it always looks beautiful no matter how imperfect we may think it is, makes me really happy. I know I am rambling about pastry dough like it is my love interest (hahaha!) but as I am typing this recipe, the weather outside is just so stunning.. It’s raining heavily here right now and I am in love with the cool breeze and the smell of warm chai being brewed in our house.. It is my definition of romance <3

If I am honest with you, I struggled initially when it came to pastry making. I think it is because of my impatient nature, I would rush through things more than necessary and end up making a dry pastry or over knead it. Plus the hot climate in India just adds up to the difficulty. So I always find using a food processor or blender a better choice when it comes to making pastry dough. This recipe contains very few ingredients and is soooo delicious I cannot tell you. I love tart dishes and this galette is like a party for the tastebuds, I used fresh seasonal Indian plums and frozen blackberries, just a little amount of sugar which you can add more according to taste. The best part was when I served the warm galette with creamy vanilla bean ice cream, it was surreal. It really was.

You should definitely try this galette when plums are in season. Although if you’re not a fan of plums and/or they’re not in season when you’re reading this, you can use any fruit under the sun for this recipe, the pie crust remains the same, rest.. The world is your pickle my friend, have fun! Get creative! Make your own new combinations!

Let’s start baking!

Ingredients:

For the pie crust-

120 g all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

70-80 g chopped cold unsalted butter (for vegan: solid coconut oil it is important that your coconut oil is cold and solid, not runny)

1 tbsp honey (vegan: maple syrup or even ice cold water is a good substitute)

For the filling:

150 g fresh plums sliced thinly

a handful of blackberries (you can omit these and add some more plums instead)

40 g or 1/4 cup raw cane sugar/brown sugar

Method:

• Make the crust:

1. Measure and cut your butter into cubes and put it into the freezer so that it stays ready. If using coconut oil and you live in a warmer climate, measure out the oil and keep it in the fridge or freezer for around 30-40 minutes or until solid and scoop-able (this is extremely important)
2. In a food processor or blender (possibly that has a mode in which you can pulse the ingredients) add your flour, salt and 1 tbsp honey (or vegan substitute). Blend it for 10-20 seconds.
3. Take the butter (or coconut oil) out of the freezer and add it to the blender. Pulse for a few times until everything is moist and when you take some of the mixture and pinch it in your hands it sticks together and retains it’s shape. If the dough is dry, you can add more honey (or vegan substitute), ice cold water or even cold milk. Add very little at a time till the required consistency is attained.
4. Once reached, work quickly, drop the mixture to a clean and dry surface and pull it all together to a ball, try to knead and handle the dough as less as possible. Once you roll it into a dough, cover it with cling film or plastic wrap or even parchment paper will work, just ensure it is fully covered and refrigerate it for at least 45 minutes or even overnight if you want to make it the next day.

• Make the filling: when you are about to make the galette-

1. Wash and clean your plums and slice them thinly, it need not be super thin, it is just for ease of arrangement.
2. Take a small bowl, add your sliced plums and blackberries (if using), add the sugar (add more or less sugar according to the tartness of your plums and berries).
3. Mix it gently either with your hands or a spoon, be gentle.
4. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.

• Assemble the galette:

1. Take your chilled dough, if your dough was kept in the fridge overnight then let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then work with it.
2. Now this is the tricky part where it may seem like the dough is not working for you, try working in a colder room if possible.
3. Pre-heat your oven to 200ºC and keep a 10×10 pan/cookie sheet ready. On a large sheet of parchment paper (approximately the same size as the pan) add a little flour, roll out your dough into a rough circle till it is about 1-1.5 cm thick, use either a floured rolling pin or your hands. Try to be as quick and as gentle as possible.
4. The diameter of the crust should be around 8-9 inches about 20-22 cm.
5. Once you finish rolling out the dough, arrange your fruit in a circular manner leaving about 1-1.5 inches at the circumference.  Once you arrange your fruits as your heart desires, fold in the edges overlapping the fruit, it should be fairly easy to fold in, in case your dough tears, just ‘smush’ it back together.
6. Slowly slide the galette to the pan with the help of the parchment paper, chill it in the freezer till your oven finishes preheating.
7. Before baking, sprinkle a generous amount of brown sugar (I used a tablespoon of brown sugar) on the fruits and with a pastry brush give the crust a milk wash using dairy/non dairy milk (helps with browning)
8. Bake in the centre of the oven, at 200ºC for 20 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180ºC and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the crust is a beautiful golden brown. The juices may or may not leak, if they do, it is okay, not to worry. The parchment paper is a saviour.
9. Once baked, take the galette out of the oven and let it cool on the pan, if you try to move it while it’s hot it may break apart. If the juices have leaked, just use a sharp knife to release the galette.
10. I recommend serving it warm with a generous scoop of vanilla (or your favourite ice-cream) and a sprinkle of icing sugar.

The galette is best when consumed the day it is made.

I really hope you try this recipe. It seems complicated but it is not, it is very easy to put together and really delicious. Please send in your feedback here if you try this recipe.

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook to stay updated on our delicious food journey. Happy Baking!

Love,

Bakesalotlady <3