Rustic Late-Summer Plum & Lemon-Thyme Danishes
There is something sacred about the morning ritual of a Parisian bakery run, but here in California, we like to bask in a little sunshine while we eat. These Rustic Late-Summer Plum & Lemon-Thyme Danishes were born on a Tuesday when my farmer, Mateo, handed me a basket of Santa Rosa plums so fragrant and juicy I knew they couldn't just sit in a bowl. I wanted to capture that fleeting magic of late summer. I started thinking of a classic frangipane tart, but stripped it of its formality. Instead of fussing over brioche dough from scratch, I lean into the sheer joy of all-butter store-bought puff pastry because life is simply too short not to take a brilliant shortcut. We layer that buttery, flaky crunch with a velvety almond frangipane, nestle in those tart-sweet plums, and finish the whole affair with a warm drizzle of lemon-thyme infused honey straight from my neighbor's hive. The herb brings this unexpected, earthy brightness that cuts right through the rich almond. Want to make it your own? Swap the plums for peaches or apricots depending on what looks best at your local market. Pour yourself a glass of chilled skin-contact wine, and let us pretend we are sitting on a sunny patio in the 6th arrondissement.
Featured Recipe
Rustic Late-Summer Plum & Lemon-Thyme Danishes
Flaky, buttery puff pastry cradles a velvety almond frangipane and sweet sliced plums, finished with a warm drizzle of lemon-thyme infused honey. It brings the cozy magic of a Parisian morning bakery right into your sunny California kitchen.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 1 lb ripe red or black plums(pitted and thinly sliced)
- 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry(thawed but chilled)
- 0.5 cup almond flour
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter(softened)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg(beaten, split for filling and egg wash)
- 1 tsp Meyer lemon zest(finely grated)
- 0.5 tsp vanilla bean paste(or extract)
- 0.25 cup honey(preferably wildflower or orange blossom)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon thyme leaves(regular thyme works great too)
- 2 tbsp sliced almonds(for sprinkling)
- 1 pinch flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
5 min
Tip: A nice hot oven is key to getting that instant puff and shatteringly crisp layers.
- 2
In a bowl, beat 3 tbsp unsalted butter and 3 tbsp granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Whisk in 0.5 large egg, 1 tsp Meyer lemon zest, 0.5 tsp vanilla bean paste, and 1 pinch flaky sea salt. Stir in 0.5 cup almond flour until a creamy frangipane paste forms.
8 min
Tip: Using half the egg in the paste leaves the remaining half ready to brush on as an egg wash.
- 3
Unroll 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into 6 equal rectangles. Using a sharp paring knife, gently score a 1/2-inch border inside each pastry rectangle without cutting all the way through.
5 min
Tip: Scoring the borders creates a beautiful frame that rises up around the luscious fruit center.
- 4
Spread the frangipane mixture evenly inside the scored borders of each pastry rectangle. Fan out 1 lb ripe red or black plums slices across the frangipane. Brush the exposed pastry borders with the remaining 0.5 large egg egg wash, then sprinkle with 2 tbsp sliced almonds.
7 min
Tip: Overlap the plum slices generously—they will shrink slightly as their natural juices cook down.
- 5
Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry borders are deeply golden brown and the plums are tender and bubbling.
25 min
Tip: If the almond slices start browning too quickly near the end, loosely tent the baking sheet with foil.
- 6
While the pastries are baking, combine 0.25 cup honey and 1 tbsp fresh lemon thyme leaves in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant and fluid, then remove from heat.
5 min
Tip: Infusing warm honey with citrusy herbs gives that gorgeous West Coast aromatic twist.
- 7
Generously brush the warm lemon-thyme honey over the hot, freshly baked plums. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving alongside a steaming double espresso.
5 min
Tip: Pastries are at their peak crunchy perfection while still warm from the oven!
Chef's Notes
Late summer plums from the farmers market bring a gorgeous tart-sweet pop that balances rich brown butter notes and soft almond frangipane. Don't skip the lemon thyme honey finish—it ties the whole California-meets-Paris morning together!
Marguerite Lavigne
French soul, California sun
I grew up in a small village outside Lyon, where my grandmother taught me that the best meals come from respecting your ingredients. After training at Le Cordon Bleu and spending years in Parisian kitchens, I moved to San Francisco and fell in love with California's farmers markets and wine country. Now I cook the food I wish my grandmother could taste—French technique with California abundance, where a perfect roast chicken might come with Meyer lemon and wild fennel instead of tarragon.