Rustic Plum Galette
To make a plum galette, roll out a single round of pastry, pile sliced plums tossed with sugar and a little cornstarch in the middle, and fold the edges up over the fruit, leaving the centre open. Bake at 200 °C until the pastry is golden and the plums are jammy. A galette is a free-form tart with no pie plate, so it's far more forgiving than pie — rustic is the whole point. Brush the crust with egg and sprinkle with sugar for a golden finish.
A galette is the lazy baker’s best friend — all the pleasure of pie with none of the fuss. This one piles sliced summer plums onto a round of pastry, folds the edges up rustically, and bakes into a golden, jammy, gorgeous free-form tart. It looks like you tried hard; it’s actually the easiest way there is to bake stone fruit.
Free-form means forgiving
Unlike pie, a galette has no plate, no top crust, and no crimping to perfect — you roll out one round, pile the fruit in the middle, and fold the edges up over it. Rustic, uneven, and open in the centre is exactly the look. That’s what makes it so forgiving and fast, while still looking beautifully homemade.
Keep the juices in
Plums are juicy, so toss them with a spoonful of cornstarch to thicken, and leave a good border of pastry to fold up as a wall around them. Ground almonds scattered under the fruit soak up extra juice too. Bake on parchment to catch any drips.
Plums are perfect for it
Plums hold their shape and turn jammy and tart-sweet as they bake, and their skins go a beautiful deep red. But the galette works with peaches, apples, pears, or berries — whatever’s ripe.
Make it yours
- Other fruit: peaches, apples, pears, or a berry mix.
- Spiced: cinnamon, cardamom, or a little ginger with the plums.
- Almond base: ground almonds or a smear of marzipan under the fruit.
- Finish: a brush of warm jam for shine, or a scoop of ice cream.
Cool it slightly so the juices set, then slice it right off the tray. It’s a rustic, generous dessert that makes a plum harvest look effortless — and it’s just as good with whatever fruit the season hands you.
At a glance
Rustic Plum Galette
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Roll the pastry into a rough round on a parchment-lined tray.
- Toss the plums with the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon.
- Scatter the ground almonds (if using) in the centre, then pile the plums on, leaving a 5 cm border.
- Fold the border up over the fruit, pleating as you go. Brush with egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake at 200 °C for 35–40 minutes until the pastry is golden and the plums are bubbling. Cool slightly before serving.
Frequently asked questions
What is a galette, and why is it easier than pie?
A galette is a free-form, single-crust tart baked flat on a tray — you pile the fruit on a rolled-out round of pastry and fold the edges up over it, leaving the middle open. There's no pie plate, no top crust, and no crimping to get perfect. Rustic, uneven edges are exactly the look, which makes it far more forgiving and quicker than a traditional pie while looking beautifully homemade.
How do I stop the galette leaking juice?
Two things: toss the fruit with a spoonful of cornstarch (or ground almonds) to thicken the juices, and leave a good border of pastry to fold up as a wall. Folding the edges snugly over the fruit contains the juices, and baking on a parchment-lined tray catches any that escape. Chilling the assembled galette for 15 minutes before baking also helps the pastry hold its shape.
Can I use other fruit?
Absolutely — a galette is endlessly adaptable. Plums are gorgeous because they hold their shape and turn jammy and tart-sweet, but peaches, apples, pears, berries, or any mix work beautifully. Adjust the sugar to the fruit's sweetness and the cornstarch to its juiciness. It's a brilliant use-what-you-have dessert for whatever's ripe in late summer and fall.