Plum and Almond Spelt Galette

The snow was nice for a while but now it’s getting icy and I can’t walk anywhere…because I’m a wimp and frankly terrified of falling over. I slipped over last time it snowed in December 2011 and my poor coccyx has never quite recovered. Having said that it only hurts now when I’m at work, so there’s something to said against sitting at a desk all day.

 

I feel incredibly restless today, I want to go everywhere and bake everything on my pinterest list. I don’t like my flat, I don’t like any of my clothes and I want to re-shoot all my most recent bakes because I feel unhappy with the photographs. Tomorrow I might return to normal and feel proud of the fact that I can photograph cakes in our tiny flat where the only good light comes in from the double doors in the living room but for today I am just a little grumpy. These days are rubbish, where you’re impatient for change but you know you have to hold out a little longer. We will definitely be moving this year and I’m not 100% clear on where and we definitely don’t know when but I just have to be patient. I have to remind myself that that dream kitchen with a window by the worktop is waiting out there for us. I have no patience, it’s my biggest flaw and one I’ve had to combat through baking. I hate queues and slow walkers and I dislike waiting for pastry to chill and cakes to cool, but I do it because I know the outcome will be better if I just wait.

 

Today is my 100th post. I’m shocked and proud. Aside from being impatient I also have a terrible habit of never finishing things. I’m a deeply flawed human being. This blog has been one of my favourite things over the past 10 months. If I’ve had a bad day like today I feel so much better to write a blog post or bake something. I love doing this blog and I’m so happy that you come back and read my ramblings.

 

For my 100th post I present you with this plum and almond spelt galette. This and the coconut carrot cake are my favourite bakes so far this year (all 3 weeks of it). It’s just the perfect combination of flavours and textures, I can’t wait to make it again. I feel like I ought to host a dinner party or something so that people can enjoy the wonder of this dessert.

Galettes are the best, pies are great but galettes take all the stress out of pie making and turn it into this beautiful rustic no-pie pie. I got some good use out of my food processor with this. It was my first attempt at making pastry in a food processor and it certainly made it a lot easier. My warm hands can ruin pastry at times so it was great to throw everything in and not worry about the butter getting too soft. A food processor is also perfect for making the almond crumb base, though you could probably get away with giving the almonds a good bash with a rolling pin. I used very ripe plums for this recipe, the taste of warm plums is just perfect with the short spelt pastry and the almonds underneath. I enjoyed mine served with a little drizzle of cream to be extra indulgent.
 

 Plum and Almond Spelt Galette

(adapted from Martha Stewart.com)

 

For the pastry:

190g whole spelt flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon agave nectar
360g unsalted butter, very cold and cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons ice water

 

For the filling:

70g almonds, toasted and skin on

3 tablespoons sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top

2 tablespoons spelt flour
9 small plums, ripe, pitted and cut into 4 slices
1 to 2 tablespoons double cream

1. Mix the flour and salt and put in a food processor (or large bowl if you're making it by hand). Add the butter and start mixing. Add in the agave nectar and ice water as it is mixing. Mix until it starts to form a ball. Shape the ball into a flat disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for 1 hour. If mixing by hand, rub the butter into the flour and salt then stir in the water and agave until it all comes together in a ball.
2. Toast the almonds in the oven at 180 C/350 F for 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Clean the food processor out and add in the almonds, sugar and flour. Pulse until a coarse mixture forms.
3. Roll out the pastry, it needs to be roughly round but the edges don't need to be neat at all. Spread the almond mixture around the middle of the pastry and lay the sliced plums on top. Sprinkle over the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
4. Fold over the edges of the pastry, it's fine for parts to overlap. Brush the double cream over the pastry and place in the oven for 45-50 minutes.

Let cool slightly and serve with a drizzle of cream and glass of wine, because it's Tuesday and sometimes we need wine on Tuesday.

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