This plum and frangipane galette is made with buttery pastry, a delicate almond filling and juicy seasonal plums. The perfect end of summer show-stopper.

A piece of the rustic plum tart (center) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. More pieces are pictured in the background.

I’m transitioning jobs and have the luxury of some time in between. What that really means is that my food obsession is out of control. Grocery shopping has always been a hobby of mine, but I now spend enough for family of four on groceries (I live alone). My fridge is stocked to the brim and I am easily convinced by weekly shopping deals. 12 figs sit in a bowl on the countertop, and a bag full of plums is begging to be used.  And that, friends, is how this plum and frangipane galette was born. 

The best pastry recipe for this plum and frangipane galette 

The pastry for this recipe is always a crowd-pleaser. I use a variation of it in many other desserts, and get requests to share the recipe all the time. It’s a flaky and buttery crust, better than what you can find at the store.

  • You only need a few ingredients: butter, flour, water, salt and a touch of sugar. That’s it. Make it in bulk, and freeze the pastry for later too. 
  • Keep everything COLD. By that I mean the butter needs to be solid (even frozen – 30 min before using). You also need ice water for this recipe. Throw a couple of ice cubes in a bit of water, and let it come to about 1/2 a cup of water (the ice should still be there, keeping it cool).
  • Grate the butter using the larger side of your box grater. This here is the golden secret. You then just need to mix it into the flour. The flecks of butter create air pockets when baking and make this pastry super flaky and delicious. 

A rustic plum tart (center) with scoops of vanilla ice cream. Plates and plums pie in the background.

Frangipane – what even is it? 

I don’t love marzipan but man, am I a fan of frangipane. Frangipane is a sweet filling made with almonds. It’s so simple and so versatile. Today’s variation is the classic version but I have made peanut butter frangipane and camomile frangipane. There are so many possibilities.

Here’s how you make it: 

  • You need: butter, sugar, an egg, ground almonds (a.k.a almond flour), and a pinch of salt.
  • I buy almond fl0ur at the grocery store but you can make your own by using peeled flaked almonds, and grinding it into a mixture that resembles fine breadcrumbs (don’t over-grind you’ll end up with almond butter). Sift before using. 
  • You make frangipane like you make cookie dough: cream together the butter and sugar, add the egg and salt, followed by the almond meal.

The plums, and what you can substitute instead

Baked summer plums are glorious. Their flavours intensify in the oven, and they become sweeter and tangier. I was beckoned by the plums at the farmer’s market and used a mixed variety the first time I made this. On testing it a second time, I used the grocery store plums on sale, with a slightly reddish hue. They should not be overly ripe, but slightly sour or just ripe.

Any plum variety or stone fruit will work well for this recipe. I have made galettes using other varieties of plums (the purple ones), as well as apricots, cherries, etc. You can also use apples or pears. 

We will toss the plums in a bit of sugar and cornstarch so that the juices develop a jammy texture in the oven.

Assembling and baking the galette 

step by step pictures of the plum and frangipane galette.

To assemble, roll out the (cold!) pastry to about 1-4 to 1/3 cm thickness. I roll it into a circle that is about 28-30 cm wide. It does not need to be perfect, a galette is by definition a rustic, free-form tart. The imperfections are what make it special.

Spread out the frangipane, leaving a border of about 4-5 cm (2-2.5 inches). Arrange the plum halves onto the frangipane, and then fold over the excess dough, so that it tightly fits over the plums. 

I finish the plum and frangipane galette with a little egg wash to give it a little gloss (heavy cream can be substituted), a sprinkling of sugar and flaked almonds.

Now to baking. This will bake at a relatively high heat (200 C /400 F – regular fan). If you notice the almonds are burning too quickly, you can tear a piece of aluminium foil, fold it in half (so it is a bit thicker) and place it on top of the browning bits. This will keep it from burning. 

And finally, enjoy!

 Enjoy this dessert warm, with a cold scoop of good vanilla ice cream. You can reheat leftovers and serve. 

A rustic plum tart (center) with scoops of vanilla ice cream. A piece has been cut out. Plates and plums pie in the background.

Plum and Frangipane Galette

Delicate almond cream enclosed in buttery pastry, studded with seasonal plums. The perfect end of summer showstopper.
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Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 160 grams (1 and 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 125 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter*, cold or frozen
  • 4-5 tablespoons ice water**

For the frangipane:

  • 100 grams (just under 1/2 cup) unsalted butter
  • 100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 150 grams (1 and 1/2 cup) almond flour***

To finish:

  • 500 g ready to eat plums (approx 10)****
  • 1 egg, beaten or 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • Flaked almonds , (optional)
  • ice cream or whipped cream, to serve

Instructions

For the pastry:

  • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt until evenly combined.
  • Quickly grate the cold butter using the large holes of a box grater. If you notice it is becoming too soft, place it in the freezer before continuing with the next step.
  • Add the grated butter and toss it through the flour. It should separate fairly easily if it's still cold. Using a fork or pastry blender, quickly work the butter into the flour. Visible chunks of butter should still be remaining.
  • Do not worry about the mixture being too coarse. Those little pieces of butter are what will create the flaky layers in the pastry.
  • Sprinkle in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, gently mixing after each addition. You will need about 4–6 tablespoons. Stop adding water as soon as the dough comes together into a ball. It should hold together but should not be sticky or wet.
  • Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer or refrigerator while you prepare the filling. It should be firm before rolling.

For the plums:

  • Halve and pit the plums, then slice them in half (I used small(ish) plums, for larger plums, you can quarter them).
  • Mix together the sugar and cornstarch till combined.
  • Place the plums in a medium bowl and gently toss them with the sugar and cornstarch mixture until evenly coated. Cover and set aside while you make the frangipane.

For the frangipane:

  • Place the softened butter and sugar into a medium bowl.
  • Beat together for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is creamy, pale, and fluffy.
  • Add the egg and beat until fully incorporated.
  • Add the almond flour and a pinch of salt, then beat until everything is smooth and well combined.
  • Set the frangipane aside.

To assemble and bake the galette:

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Remove the pastry from the freezer and let it sit for a few minutes if it is too firm to roll.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a roughly 30 cm (12-inch) circle, about 3–4 mm thick.
  • Transfer the pastry to the prepared baking sheet.
  • Spread the frangipane over the pastry, leaving a 4-5 cm (2-2.5 inch) border around the edges.
  • Arrange the sliced plums over the frangipane, slightly overlapping them. Drizzle over any excess liquid from the bowl onto the plums.
  • Fold the pastry border up and over the edges of the filling. You can create loose pleats as you go around the galette. Make sure the pastry tightly covers the plums.
  • Brush the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with granulated or coarse sugar. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds, if using.
  • Bake until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp, and the frangipane is puffed and set. The plums should have sunken slightly into the frangipane as well (about 40-45 minutes). Keep an eye on the tart for doneness/browning after about 25 min.
  • If the pastry edges are browning too quickly, loosely cover them with foil during the final part of baking.
  • Allow the galette to cool before slicing.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature. My favourite way to enjoy this is with vanilla ice cream.
  • This galette lasts up to 5 days and should be refrigerated and covered properly. Reheat leftovers in the microwave and serve warm.

Notes

*I like to place the butter in the freezer for 30 min before using but butter cold from the fridge will also be fine.
**To make ice water just place a couple of ice cubes in a cup, and add a bit of water. Let it sit before using.
*** To make your own almond meal, place peeled, flaked almonds (or peeled, blanched almonds) into a blender and grind till you're left with a powder the texture of fine breadcrumbs. Sift before using. 
****Use any variety of plums. Mine were ripe (but not too ripe). You can also replace plums with other fruit such as apricots or cherries.
Author: Vedika
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Almonds, Galette, Plums, Tart

A piece of the rustic plum tart (center) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. More pieces are pictured in the background.

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