Easy Plum Galette with Luxurious Créme Fraîche Topping
A rustic dessert to serve this fall loaded with plump tart plums
I recently stumbled upon a house just down the street from the art gallery where I work- it was loaded with plums- see picture below. I asked the owner if she could spare a few plums and she picked me about a gallon. I’ve made plum jam and this gorgeous galette with the bounty. Sorry bears- these plums are all mine.
Jump to RecipeWhy this recipe works:
- It’s forgiving- I make a lot of galettes and this crust is meant to look rustic. Don’t fuss over perfect edges.
- The butter and shortening make for a flakey yet sturdy crust that holds the fruit beautifully.
- Vodka added to the crust but a 2 hour rest time means the flour is fully hydrated and the vodka, as it burns off helps to “lift” the butter and shortening for a very flaky crust.
- Sanding sugar makes everything just so fancy pants.
After baking pies all summer, this is the perfect dessert to keep around for snacking or sharing with company. It is a comforting and no fuss dessert. It does take a few hours to assemble. Don’t be discouraged by the chilling time of the dough. My “Vodka” dough needs a few hours for the flour to be hydrated by the butter, shortening and water. The crust is a breeze to whip I up in your food processor- if you do not have a food processor, mix the dough with clean cool hands in a large bowl. As the crust bakes, the alcohol evaporates and makes the crust extra flakey.
The filling is just tart plums, sugar, cinnamon, a bit of lemon juice and instant tapioca to thicken the juices. Chill and roll out onto a dough speckled with butter. Fold up the edges and chill before baking for an extra flakey crust. This recipe is very forgiving. No fancy crust edges to fiddle with or decorate.
The Créme Fraîche topping is a true indulgence. If you do not want to make this, a simple whipped cream topping is fantastic or a scoop of yummy vanilla ice cream. Just make whatever you have on hand. You can use a sweetened sour cream, whipping cream and sugar topping as well, but I promise you, the Créme Fraîche is heavenly. You can find tubs of Créme Fraîche in the fancy cheese section of your grocery store. It is sold in little tubs.
This was much easier than I thought it would be.