Yield: 1 galette
“Galette” is a term used in French cuisine that represents a crusty cake, which is mostly flat
and round in shape. It is a type of thin large pancake which mostly hails from the French
regions of Normandy and Brittany. The cake is believed to have replaced bread as the basic
food and is eaten countrywide. The most well known story behind the origin of the cake is
the story of the Twelfth Night, when the Three Kings arrived in Bethlehem with gifts for baby
Jesus and galette commemorates this day.
Ingredients:
1 pound fruit (apples, peaches, pears, berries, etc.)
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional, mix with sugar)
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 round pie dough (recipe below)
Optional egg wash
1 egg white
1 tsp. milk optional egg wash
1 Tbs. sugar
Preparation:
Move rack to center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Lay the circle of pie dough over the parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. In another mixing bowl, toss the fruit with the vanilla and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Toss until coated.
Spoon or place fruit onto the center of the crust, making sure to leave 2” of dough around the edges not covered. Cut the butter into 5-7 chunks and dot the top of the fruit.
Pull the dough up partway over the fruit to form pleats. Optional: Whisk together egg white and milk. Brush crust with egg/milk mixture and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 50-60 minutes – until the crust is golden brown. Let cool on the pan for 10 minutes and then using the parchment paper, slide the galette to a rack to completely cool.
Serve at room temperature or slightly warm with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
Butter Pastry Dough
Yield: 2 rounds
Ingredients:
3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1 c. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
2 large eggs yolks
5 Tbs. ice water (+ additional ice water)
Preparation:
Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with chopping blade. Cut the butter into 1/8-inch-thick slices and add to the flour mixture. Pulse 10 to 12 times, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Beat the yolks with 5 tablespoons ice water and add to the mixture; pulse 4 to 5 times, until a crumbly mixture forms. Press the mixture together to form a ball, adding more water, if necessary, to make it manageable.
You can immediately roll out the dough between lightly floured sheets of plastic wrap or, if you have the time, chill the dough for 1 hour before rolling it out. That allows the gluten in the flour to relax, ensuring a tender crust.
Use the pastry as directed in a recipe or divide it in half, shape it into balls and flatten slightly. Wrap the flattened rounds tightly in freezer wrap and freeze until firm for later use. Use within 3 months.
