What is a French Plum Tart (Tarte aux prunes)?

A French Plum Tart is a delightful way to showcase the flavor of fresh plums and is a popular dessert during the plum season in late Summer. This rustic tart is made with a buttery Pâte Brisée (French pastry crust) filled with seasonal plums. Once baked, the plums turn utterly jammy, which is the main appeal of this tart!

In France, this tart often highlights local plum varieties such as Quetches or Mirabelles, which are smaller and sweeter than the plums commonly found elsewhere. However, don’t worry if you can’t find these specific varieties as any plums you love will work beautifully to bring this delightful treat to life in your own kitchen.

Ingredients you’ll need for this French Plum Tart recipe

This plum tart recipe is simple yet delightful, featuring a very simple filling of almond flour, seasonal plums, and a sprinkle of sugar. The most time-consuming step, though not difficult, is making the homemade crust – which is well worth the effort, trust me here! This tart recipe uses a classic “pâte brisée” crust. Read along for the ingredients and my tips!  

For the crust:

1. Flour. All-purpose flour is the way to go.
2. Salt. A pinch of salt to heighten the flavors.
3. Butter. Use cold, cubed, unsalted butter for best results in this crust recipe. I like to cube the butter, lay the cubes on a plate and stick the plate back into the fridge for at least 1 hour before I start making the crust. This ensures the butter cubes are perfectly cold when they’re added to the flour.
4. Water. About ¼ cup (60ml) of ice-cold water is needed to bind the ingredients together. You may need a little less, so add the water one tablespoon (15ml) at a time.

For the filling:

1. Plums. Seasonal, ripe plums are the star of the tart. They are sliced in quarters and arranged in a decorative pattern on the tart shell. Any variety of your liking works here, but you can read my notes below (in the FAQ) for which varieties I most recommend. When shopping for plums to make a tart, choose them slightly soft but blemish-free and wrinkle-free.
2. Almond flour. Almond flour is sprinkled over the bottom of the tart to absorb the juices from the fruits and ensure the crust remains crisp. This also adds a nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the plums.
3. Cane sugar. Cane sugar is sprinkled generously over the plums just before baking. I like at least 4 tablespoons to cut through the tartness of the plums. But you can use a bit less if you want.

About Pâte Brisée

If you’re a regular on this blog, you’re likely familiar with Pâte Brisée! This classic French pastry is a staple in many French recipes, whether for savory quiches or fruit tarts.

Pâte Brisée is a simple pastry crust made from just flour, salt, butter, and a splash of water. The water encourages gluten development in the flour, making Pâte Brisée sturdier and less crumbly compared to other French pastry crusts like Pâte Sucrée or Pâte Sablée.

This crust is easy to work with: it’s malleable, easy to roll out, and lays smoothly in the bottom of your tart pan. Its sturdiness makes it an ideal choice for holding soft fillings, such as baked fruits.

Pâte Brisée doesn’t contain eggs or sugar, making it neither sweet nor salty. This neutrality makes it incredibly versatile, perfect for both sweet and savory tarts or pies. Its mild flavor allows the taste of the filling, especially fruits, to shine through.

One of the best things I love about Pâte Brisée is its forgiving nature. If it tears while you’re rolling it out, you can easily patch it up with a few drops of water. This makes it a great option for bakers of all skill levels!

Tips for a great Pâte Brisée”

Although this is a simple pastry crust recipe, here are my 3 favorite tips to ensure your Pâte brisée is a success!

• It is essential to use cold butter and ice-cold water to make the dough. Cold butter – not room temperature – will distribute into the flour without softening. And ice-cold water will bind the ingredients together without softening the butter. This ensures little bits of butter are still present in the dough once rolled out, which makes for a most tender baked Pâte Brisée. 

• Do not overmix the dough: stop mixing when it just comes together into a rough ball. Otherwise, your crust likely will end up too tough once baked. 

• The Pâte Brisée needs to be chilled at least 20 minutes before being rolled out. If the dough is too cold and firm when trying to roll it out, let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes. It will warm up slightly and become easier to roll out. If the dough cracks a bit when you roll it out or transfer it into the pan, do not fret. You can simply wet your fingers lightly under lukewarm water and “rub” the cracks to bind the dough back together. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best plum varieties for baking?

Commercially grown plums in the US fall under 2 main categories: European (prunus domestica) and Japanese (prunus salicina). And you can find more than 300 plum varieties under these two categories!

When making a plum tart, it’s important to choose varieties that hold their shape and offer a good balance of sweetness and tartness. Here are some of my recommendations for the best plum varieties for baking a tart:

• Damson. The Damson plum is a smaller-size European variety that has a blueberry-like purple hue. These small, tart plums are ideal for baking, providing a nice balance to the sweetness of the tart.
• Black Amber.These plums have a sweet flavor with a hint of tartness and a firm texture that holds up well during baking.
• Santa Rosa. Juicy and sweet with a slightly tart skin, Santa Rosa plums hold up well in baking
• Italian Prune Plums (Stanley). These plums are firm and sweet, with a dense flesh that doesn’t become too mushy when baked.
• Elephant heart. Known for their deep red flesh and rich flavor, these plums are both sweet and tart, making them perfect for baking.
• Mirabelle plums. Small, yellow Mirabelle plums are a European variety from the Lorraine Region in France. This variety is very sweet, juicy with just a hint of tang, which makes them perfect for baking! They are widely available in France. However, they are a “protected origin” produce, which means they are illegal to export outside of France – making them very hard to find. Mirabelles are not allowed to be sold commercially in the US, but I heard they can be grown in home gardens.

You can stick to just one variety or mix them up! This adds complexity to the tart’s flavor profile.

Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?

Yes, for this recipe, you can! Almond meal, in comparison to almond flour, is slightly coarser (not as finely ground). Almond meal is also often made from raw unpeeled almonds resulting in a brown-speckled mix, while almond flour is made from peeled almonds. 

Because we’re using a very small of almond flour, the overall taste and texture of the tart won’t be altered.

How can you store this Plum Tart?

This tart can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The baked plums don’t hold very well so I don’t recommend keeping it any longer, nor freezing it.

Audrey’s tips

• This recipe will make enough for a 10-inch (25cm) tart crust or a 9-inch (22.9cm) tart crust, plus a little extra. Keep the extra crust in the freezer for another project (well-wrapped in plastic film). You won’t regret taking the time and little extra effort to make homemade crust!
• This French plum tart is typically served at room temperature or slightly warm. It can be enjoyed on its own or with a dollop of crème fraiche, whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I hope you’ll love this classic French Plum Tart recipe as much as I do. If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French tarts to try: 

• Classic French Lemon Tart 
• Classic French Strawberry Tart 
• Alsatian Blueberry Tart 
• Blueberry Peach Galette 
• Classic Apple Tart Tatin 
• Normandy Apple Tart 
• Classic French Fruit Tart 
• Apricot Frangipane Tart 
• Peach Crème Fraiche Streusel Tart

French Plum Tart (Tarte aux Prunes)

Print Recipe

Serves: 8-10 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.3/5

( 4 voted )

Ingredients

For the Pâte Brisée:
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick/125g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
A pinch of salt
1/4 cup (50ml) cold water (approximate)

For the filling:
4 tbsp almond meal or almond flour
2.7 lbs (1.2 kg) prunes
4 tbsp (48g) cane sugar

Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare the Pâte Brisée. Mix the flour, salt and butter with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency, and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together into a rough ball (up to 1/4 cup of water); do not over-mix or your crust will end up tough. Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly - but try to keep the water to a minimum. Too much water will also make your crust tough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 390ºF (200ºC) with a rack in the middle. Butter and flour a 10-inch (25cm) or a 9-inch (22.9cm) tart pan.

Step 2 – 20 minutes later, take the dough out of the fridge. Transfer it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to circle of 16-inches (40cm) in diameter (about 1/6 inch thick). Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to the tart pan. Cut the excess off around the edges. Poke the bottom of the crust all over with a fork (10-12 pokes).

Step 3 – Spread the almond flour evenly over the bottom of the crust.

Step 4 – Wash and pit the prunes and slice them in quarters. Arrange the plum quarters, cut side up, in the pastry crust in a circular pattern. I like to start by creating one large circle from the outside and work my way inwards. Sprinkle the plums evenly with sugar.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the crust looks golden. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

The post French Plum Tart (Tarte aux prunes) appeared first on Pardon Your French.

Just like its British and American counterparts, the French-Style Fruit Cake, known as “Cake aux Fruits Confits,” is immensely popular in France, in particular during the Holiday season. This should perhaps come as no surprise, as France is the world’s largest producer of candied fruit – which are required for this recipe.

The South of France is especially renowned for making candied fruit, with the city of Apt, in Provence, being known as the world capital of candied fruit. Candied fruits and “cake aux fruits confits” are available at virtually any grocery store in France and is incredibly popular on market stands come Christmas season.

So, what is a French-Style Fruit Cake exactly?

I know fruit cakes in general can be somewhat polarizing, due to their dense texture and intense flavor. Some people love the sweet taste and rich “chewy” texture, while others may find it too heavy or overwhelming. And if you are the latter, the French-style fruit cake just might be for you!

In comparison with the British or American versions, the French Fruit Cake is far less sweet and boozy.

Its crumb is a bit denser than a classic cake, yet it is far lighter and less sweet that the typical Fruit cake you may know. I would say the taste and texture is halfway between a cake and a bread. It lets the texture and taste of the fruits to shine more, which complement nicely with the tender chunks of marzipan to boot.

Likewise, the French fruit cake is far less boozy than the typical British or American fruit cake. Raisins and candied are soaked in a splash of rum before getting incorporated in the batter, but I assure you the alcohol taste is very subtle.

The French fruit cake isn’t typically flavored with spices. It allows the flavor of the candied fruits to shine. Lastly, a French fruit cake isn’t meant to be aged, soaked in alcohol, nor glazed.

Ingredients you’ll need for this French-style Fruit Cake

A French-style Fruit Cake is a light and delicious snack cake to serve over the Holidays with some tea, hot chocolate, or mulled wine. I really think this is a great recipe for anyone overwhelmed by dense and intensely flavored fruit cakes.

Here is the list of ingredients you need to make it.

1. Mixed candied fruits. You can grab a box of pre-made candied fruit mix (usually labeled as “for baking”) which is easy to find. Or you can make your own mix if you prefer, by chopping different candied fruits of your liking – cherry, orange peel, lemon peel, pineapple, melon, etc. Adding a small amount of candied ginger is very nice too.
2. Mixed raisins. You can opt for dark or golden raisins, or a mix of the two.
3. Rum. You can use regular, dark, or spiced rum to soak the candied fruits and raisins overnight – although I do prefer using dark rum for this recipe. The final rum taste in the cake is subtle, it does not need to be a fancy rum.
4. Butter. Choose unsalted butter. It must be at room temperature, so you can easily mix it with the sugar. So, I recommend you take the butter out of the fridge at least 1-2 hours prior.
5. Sugar. White sugar works best.
6. Vanilla extract. A little splash of vanilla extract amplifies the flavors.
7. Eggs. Choose 3 large eggs, which must be at room temperature. So just as with the butter, I recommend you take them out of the fridge at least 1 hour prior.
8. Flour, baking powder and salt. All-purpose flour.
9. Sliced almonds. Blanched or unblanched shaved almonds add a lovely subtle crunch.
10. Marzipan. This is my favorite ingredient in this recipe and perhaps why I love this fruit cake so much! Little chunks of tender marzipan yield a nice chew and delicious almond taste. White or yellow marzipan works well for this recipe. Dice it in small pea-size cubes before folding it into the batter, right before baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will this fruit cake last?

A French-style fruit cake isn’t supposed to be aged like British Fruit Cakes, nor it is cloaked under syrup to help keep it longer.

This cake keeps well wrapped for up to 1 week. It can keep for up to 3 months in the freezer (in an airtight container or freezer bag). Make sure the cake is completely cooled before freezing it. Thaw it in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Can I make this fruitcake without alcohol?

While the flavor of this fruit cake may vary slightly, yes you can make it without alcohol. Instead of rum, you can soak the candied fruits in orange juice or apple juice.

Can I omit the Marzipan?

Yes, you can omit it if you don’t like Marzipan – although do note it will alter the taste and texture of the cake. You can replace the marzipan cubes with chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) or even bittersweet chocolate chips.

Audrey’s tips:

• The candied fruits and raisins need to soak overnight in rum, so make sure to plan ahead. 
• This recipes workds perfectly in a 8.5-9in x 4.5in loaf pan. 

I hope you’ll love this French-Style Fruit Cake recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment. 

More French cake recipes to try:

• Queen of Sheba Chocolate Cake (Reine de Saba)
• Lemon Olive Oil Cake
• Classic French Apple Cake 
• Chestnut Cream Cake (Gateau Ardechois)
• French Walnut Coffee Cake (Gateau Grenoblois)
• Classic French Spiced Bread (Pain d’Epices)
• Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

French-Style Fruit Cake

Print Recipe

Serves: 12 Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.0/5

( 12 voted )

Ingredients

1 cup (150g) mixed candied fruits, chopped.
2/3 cup (100g) mixed raisins (dark and golden)
2 tbsp (30ml) rum (light, dark or spiced)
1/2 cup (125g) unsalted butter, at room temperature.
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1/2 cup (about 50g) sliced almonds, blanched or unblanched
3.5 ounces (100g) marzipan, cut in small cubes

Instructions

Step 1 - The day before: In a small bowl, stir together the dried fruits, raisins, and rum. Cover and let soak overnight in the fridge.

Step 2 - The next day, whisk together the room-temperature butter with sugar until frothy. Whisk in the vanilla extract and the eggs.

Step 3 - Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle. Grease a loaf pan with butter, sprinkle the inside with flour and set aside.

Step 4 - In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Add the shaved almonds, marzipan cubes and rum-soaked dried fruits, and stir until just incorporated.

Transfer the batter to the pan and bake for 45 minutes, until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack.

The post French-Style Fruit Cake (Cake Aux Fruits Confits) appeared first on Pardon Your French.

First, what is a Galette?

A Galette – or a “Tarte Rustique” as it’s called in France – is a very popular dessert, especially during Summer months, to make do with the abundance of fresh fruits. This uncomplicated fruit tart features a flaky all-butter crust, folded in a free form manner over fresh seasonal fruits. A pie dish or proper pan isn’t required, as the galette is to be baked flat on a simple piece of parchment paper and a baking sheet.

This article covers instructions for making a proper pastry dough, a delicious fruit filling (with the fruits of your liking) and for assembling the galette. This, along with a few tips is all you’ll need to make a great Galette.

Peach Blueberry Galette

The ideal crust for a Galette: a “Pâte Brisée”.

For making a galette, the best candidate is hands down a Pâte Brisée: the French version of a short crust pastry. This classic French crust is made with only flour, butter and water – no sugar and no eggs. It is thus very versatile and can be used for both sweet and savory pies, quiches, tarts, or Galettes. 

With flour and butter mixed together with water (water encouraging the gluten development in the flour), a “Pâte Brisée is sturdy enough to hold any juicy fruit fillings, yet still very flaky thanks to the generous amount of butter added.  This also makes for a dough that is easy to work with and very forgiving – which is what you want to shape a galette with little stress.

Strawberry Rhubarb Galette

3 Tips for making the Pâte Brisée (shortcrust pastry):

• Use ice cold water and ice cold butter. It is crucial to use ice cold water and ice cold butter to make the dough. Cold butter – not room temperature – will distribute into the flour without softening. And ice-cold water will bind the ingredients together without melting the butter. This ensures little bits of butter are still present in the dough once rolled out, which makes for a most tender, flaky Pâte Brisée. 

• • • To make ice-cold water, fill a small bowl with ice cubes and cover with water. Let sit for 2 minutes and the water will be ice-cold. Discard of remaining ice cubes if any.
    • To make ice-cold butter, cut it into small cubes and place on a plate. Pop the plate in the freezer for 20-25 minutes for the butter to be ice-cold.

• Prefer handmade. Although a Pâte Brisée can be easily mixed in a food processor, I prefer making it by hand to get a better feel of the dough’s texture. It is important not to overmix the dough or your crust will end up too tough once baked. Once the flour and butter are blended, slowly add just enough water so the dough holds together when pressed in your palm.
• Chill the dough. The Pâte Brisée needs to chill for at least 20-30 minutes before being rolled out. If the dough is too cold and firm when trying to roll it out, let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes so it warms just slightly.

Yellow Plum Galette

3 Tips for making the fruit filling:

A Galette invites all kind of fruit fillings – be it berries, stone fruits, pome fruits or a combination of each. Summer favorites include strawberries, blueberries, peaches, plums and/or apricots (as pictured here). In the late summer and fall, apple and pear are staples. You can also add your own flavor twists to the fruit filling with citrus zest (ie. orange zest with berries), fresh herbs (ie. basil with strawberries, verbena with stone fruits) and/or ground spices (ie. cinnamon with apples).

• Rinse and dry well. Make sure you rinse the fruits under cold water and delicately pat them dry, yet thoroughly, before you start.
• Can you use frozen fruits? Although fresh, seasonal fruit is always best, yes you can use frozen fruits. Just make sure they are well thawed, drained and patted dry before you mix them with the cornstarch and sugar. 
• Dice/Slice the fruits thin and evenly in size. The key is always to dice up or slice up the fruits thin and evenly in size. This mostly ensures they will bake evenly. For assembling, you can then simply toss the fruit filling in the center of the dough or neatly arrange the fruit slices to create pretty patterns.
• Don’t fret on the sugar and cornstarch. Although it could be tempting to reduce the amount of sugar, you will get a runny filling if you do so. Both the sugar and starch absorb moisture and create a deliciously jammy filling.

Apple Cinnamon Galette

3 Tips for Assembling:

• Prevent a soggy crust.  To prevent the fruit’s juices from making the crust soggy, sprinkle some ground almond, oats or crushed cookies at the bottom of the rolled-out crust before adding the fruits.
• Leave a border all around. When placing the filling in the middle of the crust, make sure you leave a 2-inch border all around. This way you will be able to easily fold the edges over the filling later. Likewise, don’t pile the fruits but scatter them in one single, even layer, so they bake evenly too. 
•  Don’t fret cracks. If the edges of the dough crack a bit when you fold them over the fruit, simply wet your fingers under lukewarm water and “rub” the cracks to bind the dough back together. 

How to make an Any-Kind-Of-Fruit Galette

Here is how to make an Any-Kind-Of-Fruit Galette, with step-by-step photos. See the recipe card at the end of this article for the ingredient list, exact quantities and cooking time.

The photos depict the making of an apricot galette, but you can use any of the following fruits: berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, stoned cherries, blueberries), stone fruits (apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums) or pome fruits (apples, pears). When using firm fruits (apples, pears), just make sure you slice them thinly so they turn tender when baking.

First, we prepare the Pâte Brisée. Note that the dough will need to chill for 30 minutes, so plan accordingly. We start by placing the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.

We then cut the butter into cubes, and place the cubes on a plate. Pop the plate in the freezer for 20-25 minutes for the butter to be firm and ice-cold. 

Add the butter cubes to the flour, and mix with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Do not try to process the butter completely. Keeping pea-size bits of butter in the dough is what will make the crust very flaky.

Then, we start adding ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time. See the notes above for preparing ice-cold water. Mix until the dough just comes together into a rough ball (about 1/4 cup of water). Do not over-mix or your crust will end up tough.

A good way to test the consistency of the dough is to press a small amount in your hand. When releasing, the dough should hold together.  

Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly – but try to keep the water to a minimum. Press the dough all together so it comes into a rough ball. 

Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF (205ºC) with a rack in the middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. While the dough still rests, place the sliced or diced fruit in a large bowl. Toss with sugar, salt, vanilla extract and cornstarch until evenly coated.

30 minutes later, take the dough out of the fridge. Transfer it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a circle of 16-inches (40cm) in diameter (about 1/6 inch thick). Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to the parchment lined baking sheet. 

Spread the ground almond, oats or crushed cookies onto the dough, leaving a 2-inch (5cm) border around the edge. Arrange the fruit filling on top.

Fold the edges of the dough up over the fruits to create a 1 ½ to 2-inch border, pleating the dough around as you go. Brush the egg yolk onto the folded border. Bake for 50 min to 1 hour, until the edges of the crust look dry and golden, and the fruit filling looks soft.

How to store a Galette? 

After enjoying a Galette, if you have any leftover slices, you can store them in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

• In the refrigerator: store any leftover slices in an airtight container or well-wrapped in the fridge for up to 2 days – not more. Enjoy the slices cold or reheated for 4-5 minutes in a pan over medium heat. Avoid reheating the slices in the microwave or the crust will likely get soggy. 
• In the freezer: store it in a (freezer-friendly) airtight container and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, let the slices thaw in the fridge before re-heating them through in a pan over medium heat. 

I hope you’ll love this How To Make An Any-Kind-Of-Fruit Galette article! A Galette can be enjoyed either warm or cold. If you have any question, feel free to leave a comment. 

Similar recipes you make like: 

• Strawberry Rhubarb Galette
• Peach Blueberry Galette
• Apple Cinnamon Galette
• Alsatian Blueberry Tart
• Peach Crème Fraiche Streusel Tart 

Any-Kind-Of-Fruit Galette

Print Recipe

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes 50 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 6 voted )

Ingredients

For the Pâte Brisée:
1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (170g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
¼ cup to 1/3 cup (50ml to 78ml) ice water

Filling base:
4 tbsp (24g) ground almonds
(or quick oats, or crushed cookies – ie. graham crackers)

Filling:
4 cups berries, stone fruits or pome fruits (chopped or thinly sliced)
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp (15g) cornstarch (or tapioca starch)
1/3 cup (65g) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

To finish:
1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk, for brushing

 

Instructions

Step 1 - Prepare the Pâte Brisée. Mix the flour, salt and butter with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together into a rough ball (about 1/4 cup of water). Do not over-mix or your crust will end up tough. Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly - but try to keep the water to a minimum. Too much water will also make your crust tough. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF (205ºC) with a rack in the middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2 - Prepare the filling. Place the sliced or diced fruit in a large bowl. Toss with sugar, salt, vanilla extract and cornstarch until evenly coated.

30 minutes later, take the dough out of the fridge.

Step 3 - Assemble the galette. Transfer it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to circle of 16-inches (40cm) in diameter (about 1/6 inch thick). Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to the parchment lined baking sheet. Spread the ground almond (or oats) onto the dough, leaving a 2-inch (5cm) border around the edge. Arrange the fruit filling on top. Fold the edges of the dough up over the fruits to create a 1 ½ to 2-inch border, pleating the dough around as you go.

Step 6 - Brush the egg yolk onto the folded border.

Bake for 50 min to 1 hour, until the edges of the crust look dry and golden, and the fruit filling looks soft.

The post How To Make An Any-Kind-Of-Fruit Galette appeared first on Pardon Your French.

So if you’ve never tried to make a Cherry Clafoutis at home before, stay with me – you’ll be amazed how easy it is to prepare it!

The simplest Cherry Clafoutis Recipe 

Probably because it is so quick and simple to make, this custardy baked flan nestled with fruits is a staple among French home cooks in the Summer. It is ideal to make do with the abundance of cherries in early Summer and combines them with an eggy, almost custard-like batter, which makes for a refreshing yet comforting dessert.  

My recipe will give you the simplest version of a Cherry Clafoutis. Simple, classic, timeless. It just works wonderfully.  The clafoutis is soft and tender, just sweet enough, with bursts of juicy cherries, a puffy golden top and a satisfying chewy rim.

This  is a fabulous ending to any Summer meal, served warm or cold. You can enjoy it by the spoonful or cut it in slices just like a cake. You can leave it bare or with a light dusting of powdered sugar,  and top it with scoops of vanilla ice-cream. 

What Cherries to use for a Clafoutis? 

In France, clafoutis can be made using a variety of sour cherry known as “Griottes“, black cherries or the Bigarreau Cherry, a hard-fleshed pale cherry that is often used in baking and for the making or jams of candies.

In North America, you can use sour cherries such as Montmorency, which is from the Griotte family. If you’re worried that your cherries are too sour, use a mix of sour and sweet cherries.

I find thesweet Bing cherries great to bake with, since they are very sweet, hard-fleshed and do not release much liquid when baking. Bing Cherries are one the most commonly available sweet cherry varieties in North America. 

To pit or not to pit the cherries?

As per tradition in France, when making a Cherry Clafoutis from Limousin, you must leave the cherry pits intact for more flavor. The pits contain amygdaline, the same active chemical found in almond extract. So during the baking process, some amygdalin from the pits is released into the clafoutis batter and gives a subtle nutty note.

Skipping the cherry-pitting certainly makes the preparation for this recipe way quicker and easier too. But I feel it also makes the eating part far less enjoyable… You can choose whichever option you prefer (with pitted or un-pitted cherries).

If you opt to pit the cherries (like I usually do), slice the cherry in half, twist off one half and remove the pit from the other half with the tip of a pointy knife.

How to store this Classic French Cherry Clafoutis?

• Chill it. After making (and enjoying) this clafoutis, you can cover it with plastic film and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Don’t freeze it. I don’t recommend freezing a clafoutis. The texture is delicate, and it will likely get soggy/mushy when thawing. 

Common Questions

Can I prepare the batter ahead of time?

The batter can be prepared hours, up to a day ahead, kept well sealed in the fridge.

Can this recipe be made using other fruits?

While it wouldn’t be traditional, you can absolutely made this recipe using other fruits such as apricots, raspberries or strawberries. Even apple or pear could work well! Just know that when a clafoutis is made with another fruit than cherry, traditionnally in France it is called a “Flaugnarde”. 

Can I use frozen fruits for this recipe?

Tricky question! Frozen cherries typically work for this recipe, but I always thaw and allow them to “drain” on paper towels before using them. Fruits such as strawberries and raspberries typically turn to mush once thawed, so I would advise against their usage.

Audrey’s baking tips: 

• This recipe works for one large clafoutis : use a 8 to 9 inch circular pie dish or skillet and bake for 1 hour. For individual portions, use 8 individual (1-cup) baking dishes or ramekins and bake for 40 minutes instead. 
• Take your eggs out of the fridge 1 hour before preparing, so they warm up to room temperature.
• Make sure you use 2% or whole milk (no skimmed or fat-free). 
• This is a simple batter recipe, easily done by hand with a whisk. Although, if the batter ends up being lumpy, you can simply pass it though a fine mesh strainer to get rid of any lumps. You should have a smooth batter with a heavy cream consistency.
• I like to add 1 tablespoon of Kirsch (sour cherry liquor) to my batter to boost the cherry taste – but this is optional. 

I hope you’ll love this French Cherry Clafoutis as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French recipes with summer fruits: 

• Strawberry Rhubarb Galette
• Apricot Flaugnarde
• Peach Blueberry Galette
• Apricot Frangipane Tart 
• Plum Moelleux Cake 
• Strawberry Flaugnarde
• Classic French Fruit Tart 
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
• Raspberry Pistachio Tart 

Classic French Cherry Clafoutis

Print Recipe

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 1 hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.3/5

( 59 voted )

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter
1 1/4 cup (312.5ml) milk (2% or whole)
2/3 cup (132g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp (15ml) vanilla extract
optional: 1 tbsp (15ml) kirsh
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 (62.5g) cup all-purpose flour
3 cups cherries, pitted or unpitted

Powdered sugar, for serving 

Instructions

Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter generously a 8-9 inch circular pie dish or skillet (or 8 individual 1-cup baking dishes or ramequins).

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, Kirsch (optional). Add the flour and salt, and whisk until smooth.

Place the cherries at the bottom of the prepared dish (or a handful at the bottom of each individual dish). Pour batter over top.

Bake for 1 hour (or 40 minutes for individual clafoutis). The clafoutis is done when puffed and brown on the edges, and a knife plunged in the center comes out clean.

Transfer to a cooling rack. The clafoutis will deflate as it cools. 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve warm.

 

The post Classic French Cherry Clafoutis appeared first on Pardon Your French.

Quince is often referred to as a forgotten fruit, but this recipe is one you won’t forget anytime soon… It is a perfect way to make use of this delicious Fall fruit and enjoy it all winter long.

Cooking notes:

• 10 days of drying for this Quince Pâte de Fruit might seem excessive, but it is essential to reach an optimum texture, for the flavours to fully develop and for the color to become a beautiful, deep orange.

If you try this Quince Pâte De Fruit let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram tagging @pardonyourfrench or using #pardonyourfrench. I’d love to see what you come up with.  

Bon Appétit!

Quince Pâte De Fruit from Provence

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Serves: 24 candie-size cubes Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.6/5

( 7 voted )

Ingredients

4 large quinces (equivalent of 3 lbs)
6 cups sugar (approx. 3 lbs)

Instructions

Wash and brush the quinces (do not peel them). Cut them in half, remove the seeds, and dice them into big cubes.

In a large pot, bring 1.5 litres of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, dump the quince cubes in it and simmer for 25 minutes - until the fruits are tender.

Remove from the heat, drain the water and puree the quince (with a hand blender) until smooth. Weigh the quince puree and add in the same amount of weight in sugar (put both back into the pot). Bring back to low-heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, mixing occasionally until the mixture separates from the edges of the pot.

Spread the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking pan, to a 1 inch thick layer.

Let the sheet dry during 8 to 10 days, at room temperature (uncovered, but you can place it in a cupboard, for instance).

After the drying period, cut the quince pâte de fruit into cubes or strips.

Optional: for serving, roll each cube into sugar.

Looking for other recipes from Provence? Try these: 

• Garlic-Sage Cure All Soup 
• Vegetable Tian

The post Quince Pâte De Fruit from Provence appeared first on Pardon Your French.