The Old Mirabelle Plum Tree: Spiced Mirabelle Plum Galette Recipe
The Old Mirabelle Plum Tree:
Spiced Mirabelle Plum Galette Recipe
The Old Mirabelle Plum Tree
At the bottom left of my French garden there is a beautiful old Mirabelle tree; it was here when we bought the house and every year it gives us kilos and kilos of gorgeous yellow and rosy pink fruit. Diminutive in size it may be compared to the showy fig tree next to it, and it’s certainty not as tall as my quince tree, however, it is one of my favourite trees in the garden. It’s not a pretty tree, several owners previous to us have pruned it in a peculiar fashion, so it now leans to one side and looks like a crooked old man, but what it lacks in horticultural beauty is more than made up in its annual bounty of fruit – and for three to four weeks a year, we lean an old wooden ladder up into it’s canopy as it yields it golden treasure…….and we pick, pick and pick baskets of small, sweet plums.
Chopping Mirabelles
Mirabelle plums are the least showy of all the plum family; not big and blousy like the Victoria plum or with a deep, dusky colour as damsons are – they are small with a mottled golden-yellow to dusky rose-coloured skin. But, they are naturally sweet and can be eaten straight from the tree, and the stone is prised out with ease, unlike the greengage which doesn’t give up its stone with ease! They are very versatile and can be scoffed greedily as they are being picked, au natural, as well as being made into jam, chutney, pies, tarts or being poached. Today’s recipe is for a simple and deliciously seasonal tart, Spiced Mirabelle Plum Galette, which is as easy as pie to make! I have been on a bit of a galette making fest lately, I find them better than a double crust pie for certain fruits – as they have less pastry and being a one crust free-shape tart, you can rustle one up in minutes.
The Old Mirabelle Plum Tree: Spiced Mirabelle Plum Galette Recipe
Although Mirabelles grow in the UK, the fruit is very popular in France (where it originally originated from Asia Minor) where they are called Mirabelle de Lorraine; they are a speciality of the French region of Lorraine, which has an ideal climate and soil composition for the cultivation of this fruit. There are two main cultivars grown for fruit production, derived from cherry plums grown in Nancy and Metz. The Metz type is smaller, less hard, and less sweet, and has no small red spots on the skin. It is very good for jam, while the Nancy type is better as fresh fruit as it is sweeter. The city of Metz dedicates two weeks to the Mirabelle plum during the popular Mirabelle Festival held in August. During the festival, in addition to open markets selling fresh prunes, mirabelle tarts, and mirabelle liquor, there is live music, fireworks, parties, art exhibits, a parade with floral floats and competition, and the crowning of the Mirabelle Queen and a gala of celebration. In England, mirabelles grow both wild and cultivated in Essex, and there are yellow, orange and red varieties in Mayland, Essex. The Metz variety grows wild in Suffolk at Leathes’ Ham, near Oulton Broad. (Some information taken from Wikipedia)
The Old Mirabelle Tree
My recipe for this Spiced Mirabelle Plum Galette is below, but, you can also make this tart (galette) with damsons, greengages and Victoria plums too. I am entering this recipe into Laura and Nazima’s monthly One Ingredient challenge, as the theme this month is PLUMS. That’s all for today, have a GREAT weekend, and I will be back soon with more recipes as well as some travel news, as I am popping down to the Basque Country for a long weekend break! See you later, Karen
Ready to bake: Mirabelle Galette
Spiced Mirabelle Plum Galette
Print recipe
| Serves | 8 slices |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 45 minutes |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Dessert, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Formal Party, Halloween, Thanksgiving |
| Region | French |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 1 portion of basic shortcrust pastry (or shop bought ready rolled shortcrust pastry)
- Apricot jam
- 225g to 250g mirabelles (halved and pitted)
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 2 tablespoons Demerara sugar
Note
An easy plum tart that is quick and easy to make and uses a minimum of ingredients and is perfect for any family supper pudding. Use fresh Mirabelle plums when in season, or Victoria plums, Damsons and Greengages. This tart also works well when made with fresh figs.
Directions
| Step 1 | Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6. Grease and/or line a large round tray, such as a pizza tray. |
| Step 2 | Roll the pastry out if using home-made to a large circle about 14" (35cms). Spread some apricot jam over the pastry leaving a border of about 2" (5cms) around the edge. |
| Step 3 | Mix the mixed spice and sugar together and set to one side. |
| Step 4 | Arrange the plum halves on the jam on concentric circles,so they completely cover the jam covered pastry base in one layer. |
| Step 5 | Bring the pastry edges up and around the fruit, so part of the fruit is covered but the middle of the fruit is showing. |
| Step 6 | Sprinkle the mixed spice and sugar mixture over the top of the fruit and pastry and bake in a pre-heated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden, and the fruit is cooked and has released its juice. |
| Step 7 | Allow to cool on the tray for 3 to 5 minutes, to allow the juice to sink back into the fruit and then serve warm with cream, crème fraîche or ice cream. |
Just baked: Mirabelle Galette
Mirabelle Plum Galette
The Old Mirabelle Plum Tree: Spiced Mirabelle Plum Galette Recipe
Celebrating the harvest and my harvest with British Food Fortnight
Alicia (foodycat) says
That laden plum tree is lovely! I can never decide whether mirabelles or greengages are my favourite plum.
Ada ~ More Food, Please says
This looks beautiful and delicious! I like how simple it is to put together.
Tracy Nixon says
What a lush name! My dad loves plums so I am passing this on to my mum! Thanks G+’d
Dominic says
just catching up on blog reading and so glad I didn’t miss this!… how pretty and how lucky ae you to have a Mirabelle tree.. very jealous… such a lovely and simply rustic pie… perfect for the onset of autumn, whenever that actually comes!
Tracy Nixon says
LOL I printed this recipe off for my mum and she rang me last night to say that she had been out to sainsbury’s for the ingredients and would be making it today!!!! (She says thank you and if she could use a computer she would follwo your blog too!) My dad loves plums so he will love this! Shared on Facebook today x
Ash-foodfashionparty says
I love galette, they are so fancy and simple. Yours looks beautiful.
lesley says
Just checking on the Ingredients and am about to make this. I’ll let you know how it goes. I love the story of the tree
anna@annamayeveryday says
I love plums and in particular cooked plums – wish we had a tree as prolific as yours which looks beautiful!
Franglais kitchen, Nazima says
I love the beautiful simplicity of galettes. This looks such a delicious tart, and the colours are fabulous
Karen says
Thanks Nazima!
Maya Russell says
We have a mirabelle tree! Super recipe! Have shared on Twitter, @maisietoo.
Alana Walker says
I just have to make this at the weekend, sounds heavenly.xx
laura jane says
I love the look of a galette, it’s something i’ve only recently discovered but I cant wait to make one!
Rebecca M says
Oh, this looks delicious! I must give it a try! Thanks!
Maya Russell says
Lovely recipe, no fussing with the pastry. Shared with G+.
Choclette says
So that’s what you did with some of your mirabelles – what a fabulous crop and a fabulous pie.
alice lightning says
what gorgeous looking home cooking would definatley go down well in our house
ursula hunt says
Great pie, used some frozen plums I had and it was lovely
Lorna Craig says
That looks so good. We had a plum tree at home when I was a wee girl and Mum made all sorts if delish things,including the best plum jam I’ve ever had!
lowri earith says
wow this looks lovely. think i’ll be having a trip to the allotment soon x
Hayley Wells says
Love the rustic simplicity of this recipe, and how adaptable to other fruits it is. Lovely!
LINDSEY CLARK says
I like that is is suitable for hot or cold serving as well as for vegetarians. A bit of an all rounder I may have to try!
Karen Lancaster says
We were over run with plums this year xx luckily I froze lots so looking forward to trying this xx
Karen says
They will be perfect in this recipe Karen!
Herbert Appleby says
what a fab pudding I could polish a large slice of this one off with ice cream or custard or even brandy cream for crimbo 🙂
Natalie Gillham says
This looks delicious, will have to try and make it 🙂
ursula hunt says
Love Plum pie another reason to look forward to summer when all this fruit is bountiful
laura jayne bates says
this looks yummy
ursula hunt says
A great favourite in our house
David Price says
Plums are my favourite for baked pies and galettes etc.
Fiver Feeds says
One of the best ways I can use plums I have in my backyard
Kevin Hyland says
I have to say that the photos here and the comments on Mirabelles so inspired me that in 2013 winter I planted 3 Mirabelle trees in my garden in North Devon! I have yet to have a single blossom, let alone a plum, but 2016 looked to be a a good growing season for my young trees, so fingers crossed for my first homegrown Mirabelle plum, rapidly followed by my first Mirabelle galette in 2017! IO shall report back success or failure in due course!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much for popping by here to let me know about your Mirabelle trees Kevin! I look forward to your regular updates about their progress and your culinary results with your first crops! Karen
Kevin Hyland says
I was sent a photo of one of my Mirabelle trees ( Im stuck working in Dubai),a nd for the first time it has blossom! So pleased! Planted as a a2 year old bush-trained dwarf rootstock tree in January 2014. Now I just have to hope no bullfinches, frosts, or plum scrumpers intervene before I get my first plum – I can almost taste that galette now!
Karen Burns-Booth says
I know how you feel, it’s not just the birds, but also late frosts and wind that can be a pain for blossom too! As for plum scrumpers, you need to watch them even more carefully Kevin!!! Here’s to a Mirabelle Galette for you this year, Karen
Kevin Hyland says
Well, finally, 2019 and my little Mirabelle at long last has enough on it to try your galette recipe! I have waited five whole years for my trees to mature and so far I only have one tree [producing fruit – can’t wait for that first bite of galette!!
Karen Burns-Booth says
HOORAY! I hope you enjoy your Mirabelles, and the galette too! Karen
NancyC says
Which spices did you use? The galette looks amazing
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hello, I used Mixed Spice, it is listed in the ingredients, it is a British spice blend that is often called Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie spice in the US. Hope that helps? Karen
NancyC says
Thank you
Anne's Kitchen says
Looks absolutely beautiful Karen, I’m so happy it’s Mirabelle season again so I will definitely be making this soon!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Anne, it is the season isn’t it? There will be lots of lovely jars of jam soon! Karen