Plum and Almond Galette (Easy Freeform Plum Tart)
My plum and almond galette is the ultimate late summer dessert. Made with tart plums, buttery pastry, and almonds, it comes together in a flash and is a real crowd pleaser.
Plum and Almond Galette is the perfect dessert for pasty beginners as it’s super rustic, and far less fuss than a tart in a tin. My simple homemade pastry is lovely and tender, the fruit bubbles all by itself into a deliciously jammy filling and the whole thing looks like it came from a French bakery.
Trust me, this summer dessert is so easy, you’ll be making it on a regular basis! Serve it at room temperature with a scoop of ice cream or cream and watch it disappear.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Ingredients
One of the best things about this recipe is how simple it is – and that goes for the ingredients too! To make your own free form plum tart, you’ll need the following main ingredients:
- Plums: Of course, the star of the show. I like to use nice dark skinned plums (dark fleshed even better, if you can get them). Peaches, apricots, nectarines, or berries all make a gorgeous galette, or a mixture of the above!
- Flour, Butter, Sugar, Salt and Egg: The building blocks of my very simple sweet pastry, I make it in the food processor, but it can easily be made by hand – check out the method in my Pumpkin and Feta Galette recipe here.
- Almonds: I use two types of almonds in this recipe, ground almonds to prevent a soggy pastry base, and slivered almonds to decorate the pastry.
- Orange zest: Oranges pair really well with plums, but you could use lemon zest, cinnamon or a touch of star anise too.
The complete ingredient list and detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Instructions
Galettes are the easiest of all tarts to make, and look like the are much more difficult than they actually are! There are only three main steps:
- First, make your pastry by blitzing up all the ingredients in the food processor. Get that chilling, while you prepare the fruit and heat up the oven
- Next, de-stone and slice the plums, toss with sugar, flour and orange zest then set aside.
- Finally, roll out your pastry, and top with ground almonds and plums. Then fold the edges in, brush with egg wash, scatter with a little sugar and flaked almonds, and then off it goes into the oven. So easy!
- Very last, all that is left is to wait for it to cool, then slice and serve with plenty of whipped cream or ice cream. Easy and delicious. What’s not to like?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use other fruit to make a galette?
Yes, you can. Peaches, apricots, nectarines, or berries all work. Just keep the fruit weight similar and adjust sugar depending on sweetness of the fruit. Berries will need less, tart fruit like plums need more.
How do I stop the base going soggy?
The ground almonds will usually form a barrier between fruit and pastry. If you are using very ripe and juicy fruit, add an extra teaspoon of flour or breadcrumbs with the almonds, or alternatively, heat a tray in the oven before cooking, and slide the baking paper and tart onto the hot tray to give the base a head start.
Can I make the pastry ahead?
Yes, absolutely! The dough can be made 1–2 days in advance and chilled. It also freezes well.
Do I have to use the orange zest?
No, not at all! I love the combo of plum and orange, but you can leave it out or swap in lemon zest or a little cinnamon for a warming spice.
Love fruit tarts? Try my Nectarine Tart next! So bright, beautiful and summery!
Plum and Almond Galette (Easy Freeform Plum Tart)
My plum and almond galette is the ultimate late summer dessert. Made with tart plums, buttery pastry, and almonds, it comes together in a flash and is a real crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
for the pastry:
- 200 g plain flour
- 100 g butter, cold
- 30 g sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp cold water
for the filling:
- 500 g plums, stoned and sliced
- 50 g ground almonds
- Zest of 1 orange, optional
- 1.5 tbsp sugar, to taste
- 1-2 plain flour
for the crust Topping:
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp milk or cream
- 3 tbsp slivered almonds
- 1 tbsp demerara sugar
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- MAKE PASTRY: Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6. Blitz flour, butter, sugar, and salt in a food processor to fine crumbs . Add egg and water, pulse until it clumps together. Turn out onto a floured surface, Pat into a disc, wrap, and chill for 15 minutes.200 g plain flour, 100 g butter, 30 g sugar, Pinch of salt, 1 egg, 1 tbsp cold water
- PREP FRUIT: Toss sliced plums with orange zest, sugar, and flour. Set aside.500 g plums, Zest of 1 orange, 1.5 tbsp sugar, 1-2 plain flour
- ROLL & FILL: Roll the pastry out on a well floured surface to a rough 30cm (12in) circle. Transfer to baking tray lined with baking paper, then scatter the ground almonds in the centre. Pile plums on top, leaving a 5cm (2in) border.50 g ground almonds
- ASSEMBLE: over fruit, pinching cracks to seal. Beat the egg and milk or cream together, then brush it all over the pastry. Scatter slivered almonds and demerara sugar over the crust.1 egg, 1 tbsp milk or cream, 3 tbsp slivered almonds, 1 tbsp demerara sugar
- BAKE: Transfer the tart to the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- FINISH: Brush a little of the hot plum syrup that is bubbling in the tart over the fruit to glaze. Cool to room temperature before slicing, then dust with powdered sugar and plenty of whipped cream or ice cream.powdered sugar for dusting
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Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 787IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.
About the Author
Jay Wadams is a cookbook author, food photographer, and graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Gastronomy and Nutrition.
Based in Italy 🇮🇹 Germany 🇩🇪 and Australia 🇦🇺.
