August Challenge - Galette

Posted by - Chaya

I was down to three items for us to bake and I jumped back and forth. Just a few days ago, I mentioned to Rena, something completely different. After all this indecision, I simply, selected one, the galette and I am happy with this and hope you are, also.

I made my first and only galette for another baking group, Baking with Dorie (Not Tuesdays with Dorie). Just to clarify, Baking with Dorie is for those who could not get into Tuesdays with Dorie after it closed the membership.

Once, I made that galette, I wanted to make many more but I didn't do it. I had originally approached the galette with some concern, fearful of the crust. It turned out to be the easiest recipe with a free form crust. Honestly, it was a snap. Made it in the food processor, kind of shaped it, made the filling, filling in crust, with hands, fold over sides. It was delicious.

A galette can be used for sweet and savory and I am thinking of making a savory one, a gluten free one - at that.

So here is the French galette in its simplicity and glory. They are rustic looking. Don't win beauty contests but that to me, is the beauty of the galette. I don't have to worry about presentation other than to make it look rustic.


The recipe is from Baking From my Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.
My Galette - this following paragraph is from my original post when I first made the galette.

"I was wondering what the purpose of a galette is and I am going to do some research. From a practical point, it is easier and faster than a pie or tart. The look which we call rustic, is not pretty like a pie or tart, but there is something about that fruit squeezed in the middle of that dough which is unique. It was a snap to make. The hardest part was the waiting while it sat in the refrigerator. I was going to make it in the food processor but I decided to use the mixer, since hubby just brought me a very nice gift in the form of a Kitchen Aid. All my daughters and daughter-in-laws, have one so it is only fair that Grannie, over here, should also be able to play. In sum, I loved this and it was easy to make. This is a winner."

A few exceptions to the rule. I did not use Dorie's crust, below, because I refuse to keep shortening, in the house. I used David Leibowitz's. I did not make the custard. Someone, who made it before me, deemed it not necessary and it wasn't, but by all means, feel free to use it. I used cherry jelly and I subbed strawberries and blueberries which saved the work of removing skins from peaches and apricots. I think, everyone did.

I made the recipe that did intimidate me, a bit, to one that was a cinch. I plan to make another and I will get the recipe for the crust and post it here.
Dorie's recipe:

Summer Fruit Galette by Dorie Greenspan


from Baking From My Home to Yours

Good For Almost Everything Pie Dough for a single crust, chilled (pg 442)

2-3 tablespoons jam or marmalade

about 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

Fresh summer fruit: about 10 apricots, 8-10 nectarines, 8 ripe but firm peaches, 8-10 firm plums or 2 stalks rhubarb

Decorating (coarse) or granulated sugar, for dusting



For the Custard

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Getting Ready

Center rack in the oven and preheat to oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment (see below) or a silicone mat.

To make it easier to move the pie dough onto the baking sheet, roll the dough between sheets of parchment paper ( in which case, you can use one of the rolling sheets to line the baking sheet) or wax paper or plastic wrap. Alternatively work on a well-floured surface, taking care to keep the dough moving by turning it and flouring the surface often.

Roll the dough into a large 1/8 inch thick circle. Using a pastry wheel or a paring knife, time the dough to a 13 inch diameter. Using a cake pan or a pot lid as a template and the tip of a bunt kitchen knife as a marker, lightly trace a 9 inch circle in the center of the dough- this is the area for the filling.

With the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula, spread some of the jam over the circle- how much will depend of the jam flavor you want.

Sprinkle over the crumbs, adding a little more than 2 tablespoons if you think you’ve got particularly juicy fruit. Put a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper over the dough and refrigerate it while you prepare the fruit.

Wipe the apricots, nectarines or plums clean with a damp towel and cut in half; discard the pits. Blanch peaches for 10 seconds in a pot of boiling water, transfer them to a bowl of ice water to cool, then slip off the skins. Halve and pit the peaches or peel rhubarb to remove the strings, and cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces.

Arrange the fruit on the dough, cut side down if using stone fruits, then gently lift the unfilled border of dough up and onto the filling. As you lift the dough and place it on the filling, it will pleat. If you’re not in a rush, freeze the galette for 15 minutes to give the crust a rest.

Brush the dough very lightly with a little water, then sprinkle it with a teaspoon or two of sugar. Bake galette for 25 minutes, or until the crust is brown and the fruit is soft.

Meanwhile, make the custard

Whisk together the melted butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in a bowl; set aside until needed.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven (leave the oven on), and carefully pour the custard around the fruit. Depending one how much juice has accumulated and how much space you have between the fruit, you may not be able to pour all the custard into the galette, but even 2 tablespoons can give the right effect. Pour in as much custard as you can, then carefully return the pan to the oven.

Bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the custard is set- it shouldn’t jiggle when you gently shake the pan. Cool the galette on the baking sheet on a rack to cool. The galette can be served when it is just warm or- my preference- when it has reached room temperature. Dust with confectioners; sugar just before serving.

Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough

For a 9 inch Single Crust

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tbsp size pieces

2 1/2 tablespoons very cold vegetable shortening, cut into 2 pieces

About 1/4 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening are cut into the flour. Don’t overdo the mixing- what you’re aiming for is to have some pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley. Pulsing the machine on and off, gradually add about 6 tbsps of the water- add a little water and pulse once, add some more water, pulse again and keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the flour. If, after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn’t look evenly moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water as necessary, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched. Big pieces of butter are fine. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto a work surface. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour before rolling (if your ingredients were very cold and you worked quickly, though, you might be able to roll the dough immediately: the dough should be as cold as if it had just come out of the fridge).