This recipe takes the humble, often overlooked plum to the next level. Paired with Armagnac crème fraîche, it is a divine summer desert.
Recipe adapted from epicurious.com
Pastry Dough
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Directions
Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water (for a single-crust pie) or 5 tablespoons for a double-crust pie evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn’t hold together, add more ice water 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough. Turn out dough onto a work surface. For a single-crust pie, divide dough into 4 portions; for a double-crust pie, divide dough into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all dough together with pastry scraper. For a single-crust pie, press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. For a double-crust pie, divide dough into 2 pieces, with one slightly larger, then form each into a ball and flatten each into a 5-inch disk. If dough is sticky, dust lightly with additional flour. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
Galette
Ingredients
Pastry dough
2 tablespoons almond meal
8 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 large black or red plums (1 1/2 lb), halved, pitted, and each cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
3/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon Armagnac or Cognac (optional)
Directions
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large (17- by 12-inch) baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Transfer to baking sheet.
Stir together almond meal and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and spread evenly over dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange plums, skin sides down, in 1 layer on top of sugar mixture, then sprinkle plums with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Fold in edge of dough to cover outer rim of plums, pleating dough as necessary.
Bake galette, loosely covered with a sheet of foil, 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake until fruit is tender and juices are bubbling, about 5 minutes more.
Transfer galette on baking sheet to a rack and immediately brush hot juices over plums using a pastry brush. Dust hot galette with confectioners sugar (sugar will melt and help glaze galette). Cool to warm or room temperature, about 30 minutes.
While galette cools, stir together crème fraîche, Armagnac (if using), and remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Serve galette with Armagnac cream.
