Plum & Nectarine Hazelnut Galette

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."  ~ Lucy Maude Montgomery

With Canadian Thanksgiving just around the bend, I feel like I should be thrown into food blogger jail for not posting something pumpkin.  Please forgive?  However if you do a search on my blog for lovely pumpkin confections, you'll find tiramisu, and pumpkin roll, and even waffles.  So there you go. And. And!  Near the end of this week I will be posting something Thanksgiving related, so hold on to your hats for that.  There will be pumpkin!  But first things first, there are nectarines and plums.

I was cleaning out my fridge the other day.  A rare occurrence, but my mom was visiting, and I know how picky she is about fridges.  Once, she left a note inside that said "clean me".  Ahem.  Thanks mother.  Note taken.  While this clean out was happening, I noticed the plums and nectarines in the produce drawer, whose freshness was fading.  A peek into the freezer bestowed upon me a slab of whole wheat pastry dough I'd made earlier, and a little bundle of hazelnuts.  Hallelujah.  All the ingredients for a quick galette were on hand.  As were a few quiet hours on a Sunday afternoon, another rare occurrence around these parts.  But, you grasp these moments when they present themselves to you.

It just so happens that a friend was also slipping over.  Good thing, as he helped me devour this beauty, in gratitude for his patience while I took photograph after photograph.  Dang, this is a photogenic dessert, and the way the early autumn light was coming through my window, made it very pleasing to shoot.  And even more pleasing to eat.  Especially with ice cream.  Flaky pastry, warm fruit and ice cream all hinging on the edge of a fork is one of the best things in the whole world. 

 I know some of you are afraid of making pastry.  I hear you.  I was once one of you.  But the only way you get good at it, is if you do it.  Like many things in life, really.  So, don't be scared.  I frequently make a double batch of dough, then stow the other half in the freezer.  All you have to do is let it thaw overnight in the fridge.  For this galette, I rolled it into a circle, but it doesn't have to be perfect.  Galette is just a fancy way of saying rustic, free form pie.  Sprinkled with ground hazelnuts, and slightly sweet fruit, it bakes into jammy goodness.  And by gosh, just look at those colours.  Like fallen leaves.  See, it is seasonal after all.  

Plum & Nectarine Hazelnut Galette

2 1/2 pounds sliced plums and nectarines

1/3 cup cane sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup ground hazelnuts

3 tbsp all purpose flour

1/4 cup cane sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp butter

whole wheat pastry
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large egg
1/4 - 1/2 cup ice water
1 tbsp white vinegar

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and salt.  Cut the cold butter in with a pastry blender so that only pea size amounts of butter remain.  In a small bowl, beat together the egg, 1/4 cup ice water and vinegar.  Pour this over the dry and stir together until forms a shaggy dough.  If too dry, gradually add more ice water.  On a lightly floured surface, dump the dough and shape into a disc.  Refrigerate for at least one hour. 

1 tbsp cane sugar

ice cream or whipped cream to serve 

Preheat oven to 375*F.
In a large bowl, stir together the fruit, 1/3 cup cane sugar and vanilla.  Let stand 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together the ground hazelnuts, flour, 1/4 cup cane sugar, spices and salt.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. Carefully move this onto a piece of parchment paper.  Sprinkle the hazelnut mixture on the surface, leaving a 2 inch border.  Dump the fruit in the centre, carefully moving it out to the edges, leaving a 2 inch border.  Fold the dough over the fruit, dot with 3 tbsp butter.  Carefully move the parchment onto a bake sheet.  Sprinkle 1 tbsp of cane sugar over the crust.  Bake in centre of oven for 50-60 minutes, rotating pan halfway though, or until crust is golden and fruit tender.  Let cool before slicing.  Serves 8.  Perfect with whipped cream or ice cream.