The internet isn’t short on recipes. Which makes sense, considering how much ease the format of a recipe provides its readers and cooks.
A recipe has the power to create a flow in the kitchen; it’s clear, easy to read through, and promises to deliver the thing that you’re after
– a delicious meal. The straight forward ‘rules’ to follow are generally easy to adhere to and as a result your mind and actions function in an orderly fashion to complete the task.
But what about turning the process of cooking into something more intuitive? Allowing a recipe to lend itself to meditations in the kitchen. Not being too fussy about exact quantities, trusting your eyes and tongue, and letting your gut take lead.
This is one of those recipes.
Start with your dough. This part we’re going to make really easy for ourselves. Buy some puff pastry dough and keep it nice and cold while you prepare the other ingredients.
For the filling, grab your marzipan. Crumble it into a bowl and mix it with a splash of orange blossom water, some fresh orange zest, and a whisked egg. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just smooth enough to spread. Next, slice up your plums – nice and thin so you can shape them atop the galette. If you like things a little sweeter, toss them in a bit of sugar and give them a quick mix.
Take the dough and roll it out into a rough circle—don’t worry about it being too neat. Spread the marzipan in the middle and layer the plums on top. This is where you can get creative with shaping the plums as you wish! Next, fold the edges of the dough up and over the filling. It doesn’t need to be perfect—just sturdy enough to hold it all in.
Brush the edges of the dough with an egg wash, pop it in a hot oven, and let it bake until golden. The smell will tell you it’s almost done.
When it’s ready, pull it out, let it cool a little, and serve it up. Maybe with some ice cream (see my recipe for no-churn black pepper ice cream for a great combo) or some ever so slightly sweetened whipped cream. Simple, but so good.
