Rustic Fruit Galettes
The beauty of a galette is in its imperfection. It relies on a very cold, high-fat crust and a short bake time to keep the fruit bright and the pastry shattery.
Temperature control is your only constraint.
If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough rounds on the sheet pan for ten minutes before adding the fruit. Keep the butter pea-sized and icy cold during mixing.
- large mixing bowl
- pastry cutter or fork
- rolling pin
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
What goes in.
- 1 1/2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1/2 cupunsalted butter, frozen and cubed
- 1/4 cupice water
- 3 cupsseasonal fruit, sliced
- 1/4 cupgranulated sugar
- 1 tbspcornstarch
- 1egg, beaten
Keep the butter visible
Do not overwork the dough; you want visible streaks of butter throughout. When these melt in the oven, they create steam pockets that force the flour into distinct, crisp layers.
The method.
Cut the butter
Use a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with a few pea-sized chunks remaining.
Hydrate
Drizzle in the ice water one tablespoon at a time, folding the mixture with a spatula until it barely clumps together. Press it into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 45 minutes.
Prepare the fruit
Toss the fruit with sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes so the sugar draws out just enough juice to thicken into a syrup.
Roll and fold
Roll the dough into a rough 12-inch circle on parchment. Mound the fruit in the center, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold that border over the fruit, pleating the edges as you go.
Bake
Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400°F until the crust is deep golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling thick.
Other turns to take.
Savory Galette
Replace sugar with a teaspoon of salt and herbs. Fill with caramelized onions, goat cheese, and thinly sliced potatoes.
Nutty Base
Spread a tablespoon of ground almonds or pistachios on the center of the dough before adding juicy fruits like peaches or berries; it absorbs excess moisture.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always place your galette on the bottom third of the oven to ensure the bottom crust crisps up before the top browns.
If the fruit is exceptionally juicy, add a pinch of ground tapioca to the filling.
Let the galette sit on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes after pulling it from the oven to allow the juices to set.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my crust turn out tough instead of flaky?
You likely added too much water or worked the dough with your warm hands for too long, which melted the butter before it hit the oven.
Can I use frozen fruit?
Yes, but do not thaw it first. Toss it frozen with the sugar and cornstarch, and add an extra minute to the bake time.