What on Earth even is a galette? And why would you want to make one? All your questions will be answered today as I share with you something brand new – my first ever cherry apricot galette!
Easy one first. That up there is a galette. It’s basically just a lazy person’s pie, without the faff of blind baking pastry crusts, that inevitably sink down and look a bit rubbish. The flaky rough puff pastry is even easy to make (honestly), and perfect for encasing the tart apricots and sweet cherries. And because I’m nothing if not predictable, the pastry case is topped with some toasted flaked almonds.
Yeah, there’s some almond essence in there too. Of course.
You are 100% going to adore how quick and hassle-free this rough puff pastry. It’s not anywhere near as flaky as regular puff, but it’s perfect for holding this cherry apricot galette together. All you’re going to need is some flour and salt, in to which you’re going to rub some cold cubed butter. Use your hands for this, as it really doesn’t take very long. You definitely don’t want all the butter completely rubbed in – make sure you can see plenty of pea-sized clumps of butter in the bowl. It might seem strange, but the butter clumps are going to melt in the oven and help give the pastry all the flakiness it needs.
Once you’ve rubbed in the butter, just mix in some cold water, and you’ve got yourself a dough. Pop it in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes, then roll it out on a floured surface into a long rectangle, and then fold it back onto itself three times. This will be very familiar to anyone who’s made puff pastry before, but there’s no need to put little bits of butter in between the layers in this cheat recipe. A few more folds later, and a bit more chilling, and you’ve got yourself some rough puff. Perfect.
The filling for this cherry apricot galette is, well… cherries and apricots. Anyone who’s made a cherry pie before will know that cherries are pretty much the juiciest fruit going, so this galette is inevitably going to have a little bit of juice at the bottom. However, sprinkle the pastry with some cornflour (cornstarch) before you put the fruit on top, and that will help to thicken things up a little.
This galette is definitely the best when served warm straight from the oven. Place a scoop of two of vanilla ice cream in the middle before bringing to the table and everyone will love you. Or, serve it with vanilla drizzle, which I’ve given you the recipe for below. Either one is going to be a sure fire winner at Sunday lunchtime.
Don’t stop at cherries and apricots either. This would be just as great with apples and blackberries in the autumn, and imagine summer berries with ice cream on a warm summer’s day.
If you don’t eat it all straight away, you can keep it for 2-3 days in the fridge – we’ve been eating it cold for breakfast (and lunch, dinner, supper, just for a snack…), but you can pop it back in the oven for 10 minutes or so to warm back up. Just don’t put it in the microwave unless you want seriously soggy pastry, please.
Now I’ve realised how easy it is to make rough puff pastry, I’m definitely going to be working on some more no-fuss pastry treats. I’m not usually a pastry person, but this has definitely given me the boost I need to expand my pastry horizons. Hopefully you will give it a go too.
- 200g (1 & 2/3 cups) plain or all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 175g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, cold
- 80ml (1/3 cup) cold water
- 6 apricots
- 100g cherries (2/3 cup)
- 3 tablespoons caster sugar (US granulated)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
- One beaten egg
- 20g (¼ cup) flaked almonds
- 40g (1/3 cup) icing sugar (powdered sugar) `
- 2-3 teaspoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Firstly, make the pastry. Put the flour and salt into a large bowl. Cut the cold butter into small cubes, and add to the flour. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour, until there are only small lumps of butter remaining. The butter doesn't have to be completely rubbed in - we want there to still be little lumps of butter to help make the pastry flaky.
- Make a well in the centre of the bowl, and add the cold water. Mix together with a wooden spoon, and then form into a dough with your hands. Wrap the dough in cling film or plastic wrap, and pop in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
- Whilst the pastry is chilling, you need to make the filling. Pit and slice the apricots and cherries, placing the slices in a bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the sliced fruit, and mix to coat all the fruit. Pop in the fridge whilst you continue making the pastry.
- Once the pastry has chilled for 20 minutes, remove from the fridge and place on a floured worktop. Roll the dough into a thin rectangle, and then fold the top third down onto the middle third, and then fold the bottom third upwards on top again. Turn the dough 90° either left or right, and then repeat the above process. Wrap the dough in cling film again, and then return to the fridge to chill for a further twenty minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F (170°C fan) and line a large baking tray with parchment or greaseproof paper. Once the pastry has chilled for 20 minutes, remove from the fridge and roll out into a 12 inch circle. If necessary, cut the edges of the pastry co that you have a nice circular shape. Place the circle of pastry onto the lined baking tray.
- Drain the juice from the sliced fruit, and then place the fruit onto the middle of the pastry, leaving a 2 inch rim around the outside. Fold the edges of the pastry up on top of the fruit, leaving the middle of the fruit showing. Generously brush the beaten egg onto the pastry, and then sprinkle with flaked almonds. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is golden.
- Whilst the galette is baking, make the vanilla drizzle. Mix the sifted icing sugar with the milk and vanilla extract. Once the galette has been removed from the oven, drizzle and serve warm. The galette is also great if served with vanilla ice cream.
- It is best to eat the galette as soon as it has been made. However, it will stay fresh for 1-2 days if placed on a plate, covered with aluminium foil, and refrigerated.
- The pastry can be made in up to 3 days in advance, although you may need to leave it out at room temperature for half an hour or so before rolling.
You know how I don’t really like pastry?
I loved this galette.
It was so different and fruity and summery and you could just eat it and eat it!
No wonder we kept going back to the fridge for just a little bit more galette goodness…
I’m going to be making some more pastry based goodness soon, so you’d better be ready 🙂