Plum Almond Galette

We made it to Alaska!! It took two flights, a couple gomacro bars, and lots of Haim, but I made it to Cordova to meet the gang for a week with Copper River Salmon! Molly and I have been talking about this trip for months now and I can't believe we're actually here! We're ready for lots of daylight, it doesn't get dark around here till 1 or 2 am, tons of hiking, glaciers (!!!), and all the salmon!! I can't wait to make some fresher than fresh salmon poke or maybe poisson cru while I'm here. And since there are loads of berries to be foraged, we were thinking that a galette is also in our near future. I'll report back asap!

I'm gonna keep this post short and sweet because today's jam-packed with glacier hiking and such, but I wanted to share my friend Pamela's recipe for her plum almond galette with you. It's perfect for all those summer berries and stone fruit and I love how almondy it is! It's got almond in the dough, then sprinkled on that dough, and then on the fruit filling! For those of you who don't know Pamela yet, she's a kitchen goddess. Not only does she teach cooking classes in her Manhattan Beach home in California, she also has a beautiful new cookbook called Kitchen Matters! With over 100 recipes, this book not only has a ton of nutritious yet mouthwateringly stunning recipes and photos, it's also got tons of tips on how to meal plan and grocery shop. Pamela describes her cooking style as "where healthy meets delicious" and this book captures that perfectly! Happy baking guys--I've got some salmon to see! xo

Plum Almond Galette

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM Kitchen Matters.
COPYRIGHT © 2017 BY Pamela Salzman.
PUBLISHED BY De Capo Lifelong Books.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

• 1/2 c. blanched almonds (slivered is fine)

• 1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 1 tsp. granulated cane sugar

• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

• 3 to 4 Tbsp. ice water

FILLING

• 1 large egg

• 1 Tbsp. whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

• 3 Tbsp. pure Grade A maple syrup

• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 c. almond flour or meal, bread crumbs, or cooked millet

• 1 1/2 lbs. sweet plums or pluots (about 8), quartered and pitted

• 1/3 c. sliced almonds

• 1 Tbsp. granulated cane sugar

TOOLS

• Small baking dish

• Food processor

• Rimless baking sheet

FIX

1. Prepare the dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the blanched almonds in a pie plate or small baking dish and place in the oven to toast until the almonds are fragrant and slightly golden, 13 to 15 minutes; remove from the oven and let cool.

2. Pulse the almonds in a food processor until the consistency of a course meal. Add the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon and pulse until just combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces remaining.

3. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of ice water and pulse until the dough comes together, adding up to another tablespoon of water, if needed.

4. Gently pat the dough into a 6-inch diameter disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 30 to 60 minutes.

5. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Line a rimless baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. If you don’t have a rimless baking sheet, invert a rimmed baking sheet and line with parchment.

6. Prepare the filling: In a small bowl, beat the egg with milk and set aside.

7. Combine the melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

8. Roll out the dough to a 12-inch diameter round on a lightly floured surface. Carefully fold the dough in half, pick up from the folded side, and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Unfold.

9. Spread the almond flour in the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Arrange the plums over the almond flour, keeping the border empty. Brush the plums with the maple syrup mixture. Sprinkle the center with sliced almonds.

10. Fold the dough edges over, overlapping slightly. Brush the folded border with egg wash. Sprinkle the whole galette, (fruit and crust) with sugar.

11. Bake the galette until the crust is golden brown and the plums are tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.