Peach & Plum Galette with Maple and Brie

In baking as in life, there is a cost to everything.


Sometimes that cost is amplified ten-fold by failed attempts, poor decision making, lack of time, lack of light and oh -- lack of patience. 


Sadly my peach and plum galette suffered from all of these afflictions. I have never denied to struggle in the kitchen and the number of fails I have in creating a recipe can often outweigh the successes. Just depends on the day, I suppose!


So when I set out to create a recipe using Castello cheese products -- I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Everything was going beautifully -- so beautifully! I mapped out all the details. Created a beautiful flavour profile...bought said wonderful ingredients...


What could go wrong?

Well let's start with the cheese, which is probably the only thing that went right straight away. Creamy, soft, delicate and beautiful. Brie is my absolute favourite gourmet cheese. I always feel so fancy. And the Castello cheese did not disappoint. I really loved the SIZE of this cheese more than any other cheese. It's perfect for a little cheese tray but not so big that I'd be worried it would go to waste. So thank you Castello for allowing me the opportunity to try the cutest creamy brie cheese I have ever seen!


But then things got weird....not right away, but eventually they got MESSED UP!

Beautiful figs, plums and peaches arranged on my wonderfully healthy pie dough recipe all seemed to go well. But then the weather changed to a dark and cold ominous shade of grey and I could not capture any beautiful images. Then my camera battery died so I had to wait to charge it. While I waited I decided -- hey you know what? I should make some fancy coconut sugar caramel sauce to go on this! But then I forgot about the caramel and when I took it off the stove top it began to harden really quickly. Which caused me to pour it out very quickly which then caused me to burn my entire finger with these weird hard caramel contraption I created.


Suffice it to say between the lack of good photo opportunities and weird caramel mishap, camera disaster and overall fatigue I was disheartened.

But at the end of it all, the galette itself was not to blame. And it is in fact the only part about that fateful Saturday that is worth smiling about.


So I shall share with you the recipe in hopes that you will learn to be patient with yourself and with me. Some days you just have to roll with the punches! So I apologize for the lack of photos -- but the galette itself is what this is really all about, right?

Peach & Plum Galette with Maple and Brie 

Yields 1 large 10-inch Galette (Serves 8- 10) 

Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Vegan Option

Ingredients:

• 1 pie crust recipe plus 2 tablespoons coconut sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

For the filling

• 2 large peaches, sliced
• 2 large red plums, sliced
• 2 fresh black figs, quartered 
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar or cane sugar (or a mixture)*
• 2 tablespoons gluten free all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of cloves and nutmeg 
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 of Castello Brie Cheese sliced into wedges**
• Additional ingredients: 2 tablespoons milk or non-dairy milk for wash and raw sugar for garnish

* Sample your fruit! If it is not sweet you may need to increase the sweetner! My fruit was not sweet and it resulted in a pastry that was not as sweet as I would like

**For a vegan version of this delicious dessert simply omit the brie 

Directions:

1. Prepare pie crust according to directions and place in fridge to set for at least 30 minutes
2. Preheat oven to 375 
3. In the mean time, prepare the filling by slicing all fruits into equal sized thin wedges except for the figs which are quartered and set aside separately 
4. In a large bowl add sliced peaches and plums and add the flour, sugar, spices, coconut oil, maple syrup and lemon juice and toss until fully coated
5. Gently coat the figs with the mixture using your hands to gently rub the mixture over the figs but keep figs separate because they are more fragile
6. Once filling is complete and set off to the side roll out your pie crust on a piece of parchment paper in as even as a circle as possible, if desired you may cut off the scraps to use as a garnish as I did by cutting out leaf shapes. It is crucial you do this on the parchment paper because this will help us get our finished product onto our baking sheet!
7. In the middle of your crust begin to arrange slices in a large circle approximately 2 inches from the edge of the crust so you have enough room to fold over your dough
8. I alternated plum and peach slices for visual appeal -- but this is not a necessary step
9. After your first circle of fruit is set down, take 4 -5 slices of your brie cheese and wedge it in between the fruit at equal intervals
10. Continue another circle of fruit to the inside of your first and repeat the process, wedging the brie in between pieces as you go
11. Once complete, use the parchment paper to held you create the traditional folds in your galette. Begin with one corner of your pie crust and push it onto your filling to cover it, move in a clockwise fashion around your crust using the parchment to help you push up your dough into folds all around the galette. Make sure to pinch each section together gently so it doesn't fall apart!
12. At this stage you may apply your pie crust cut-outs in whichever fashion you desire
13. Take your 2 tablespoons of milk and use a pastry brush to gently brush the pastry with a thin layer of milk. This helps with colour, helps our pieces of dough stick together and helps our sugar adhere
14. If desired sprinkle with coarse raw sugar or coconut sugar after applying milk wash
15. Bring your baking sheet to your work surface and slice the galette onto the baking sheet using the parchment paper to easily glide it on (this is why parchment paper makes our job easier! baking on parchment paper saves us the grief of trying to move our delicate pastry)
16. Bake at 375 for 15 - 20 minutes and then reduce temperature to 360 for the remaining 30 - 40 minutes of baking. If you notice your cheese isn't melting or it is not cooking evenly, cover for foil for 10 - 20 minutes near the end of baking. 
17. Baking times vary so monitor your galette closely! Once the pastry browns and filling is cooked, remove from oven to cool completely. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup 
18. Store leftover in the fridge for 2-3 days 

Confused? Well the first bit should look like this as you lay your first layer down:

When you are done it should look a little like this:

 After you fold up your edges of galette (check out YouTube on some good tutorials!) you can add your little decorative bits if you choose to do so.

Then you brush your pastry with milk and sprinkle on coarse sugar!

Then place it in the oven and relax because it will take a while!

But then you get a fancy french pastry dish which is simply beautiful. Even if the lighting doesn't cooperate. And even if your camera fails you. And even if you burn your hand.



At least you have this:

As I mentioned in the notes -- silly me did not realize how bitter my fruit was. That happens when it isn't in season! So I would adjust the sugar or serve with a sweet caramel or maple syrup for your guests. Or you. Whichever!

I drizzled with caramel syrup and white chocolate to add sweetness. But it is beautiful 'naked' too.


This cut really nicely which I appreciated. Getting my pie out of the pie plate results in the weirdest looking first piece ever.


But not this galette! The bottom gets really firm and cuts beautifully.

Et voila! The galette is served! The brie was a beautiful addition to the sweet figs, warm maple and tart plums and peaches (albeit they were not intended to be tart!). All together this is an impressive dessert for the fall and you can add and subtract whichever ingredients you want!


You could, as I mentioned, omit the cheese and this would be a beautiful vegan dessert to share. Especially now that the weather is beginning to cool down the flavour palette of this dish was especially appeasing.


I feel better now at the end of this post then I did at the beginning. I can be quite hard on myself and with all the little things that went wrong when trying to capture this dessert I was really discouraged. And it seems silly to cry over such little imperfections. That's what makes life special after all. And while the process seemed imperfect -- the galette was certainly as perfect as can be.


So let these warm flavours soothe your soul when all else fails. Because it really is all about the little things.



Happy Galette Making!


XO