Summer Fruit Galette
A galette, aka crostata, is really just a sloppy pie. No worries about perfectly rolled crusts here. This flaky pastry and the basis for the fruit mixture come from Epicurious, but I don't recommend adding pepper or putting vanilla in with the fruit - that produced a strange taste. Use any fruit that's in season - berries, rhubarb, peaches, and use either lemon or orange zest and juice, whichever suits the fruit you choose.. Top this attractive dessert with whipping cream or ice cream and watch it get gobbled up. Make the pastry a day or two ahead so the final steps go quickly.
Here's another way to use up all that rhubarb: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. Want a Summer Berry Shortcake? Click for more Desserts
Ingredients for the Flaky Pastry
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/3 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter
Method for the Flaky Pastry
Whisk the sugar, salt, and 1 1/3 cups flour in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into pieces.
Toss the butter in the dry ingredients to coat, then dump the mixture out onto a work surface. Roll the butter into the flour until it is in long flexible strips, using a bench scraper to scrape butter off rolling pin or surface as needed.
Use the bench scraper to gather mixture into a loose pile, then drizzle 4 tablespoons of ice water over. Using your hands and the bench scraper, toss the mixture until the water is distributed, then gather into a rectangular pile.
Roll out the dough to a long rectangle with the short ends about 8" wide, then use the bench scraper to fold dough into thirds, like folding a letter. It will be very crumbly and loose.
Using the bench scraper to help, turn the rectangle 90° and repeat, rolling and folding, gathering the loose bits of dough from the outer edges into the centre and flouring surface as needed. Repeat rolling and folding a third time. The dough should be somewhat homogenous and creamy-looking ,with some dry bits around edges. Squeeze a bit in your palm; it should loosely hold together. If not, repeat rolling and folding.
Wrap the folded dough in plastic, then press it into a compact disk about 1" thick. Chill 30 minutes or up to a few days.
When making the galette: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12"–14" round or oval about 1/8" thick (don’t worry about cracks around perimeter).
Dust the surface and the rolling pin with flour as needed and rotate the dough often to prevent wider cracks. If the dough sticks to surface, lift on one side and scatter flour underneath before continuing.
Roll the dough onto your pin, then unfurl it on a sheet of parchment paper. Slide the paper onto a rimmed baking sheet and chill while you prep the filling.
Do Ahead: The dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled, or transfer to a resealable plastic bag and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out.
Ingredients for the Fruit Mixture
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. finely grated lemon or orange zest (depending on the fruit you use)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling OR use crystal sugar for sprinkling
About 1 1/2 lb. berries or about 3-4 cups chopped fruit
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon or orange juice
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
Softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (for serving; optional)
Method for Making the Galette
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
Combine the cornstarch, zest, salt, and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Toss with your hands to combine, then add the fruit and toss to coat. Add the juice and toss gently. Taste to see if you want more sugar.
Using a slotted spoon, lift the fruit out of the bowl, drain the majority of the juice back into the bowl to avoid making the pastry soggy. Arrange the fruit mixture in the centre of the chilled dough (still on the parchment paper on the baking sheet) and spread the fruit out evenly, leaving a 3" border.
Fold the edges of dough up and over the fruit, pleating as needed and being careful that the folded edges of the dough doesn’t tear (if it does, patch it with dough scraps and pinch to seal).
Pour the cream into a small bowl and brush it all over the dough. Sprinkle the granulated or crystal sugar evenly over the dough.
Place the galette in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 375°F. Bake, rotating halfway through, until the crust is deep golden brown everywhere, the fruit is softened, and the juices are bubbling, 45–50 minutes. Serve warm or cooled with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
A galette, aka crostata, is really just a sloppy pie. No worries about perfectly rolled crusts here. This flaky pastry and the basis for the fruit mixture come from Epicurious, but I don't recommend adding pepper or putting vanilla in with the fruit - that produced a strange taste. Use any fruit that's in season - berries, rhubarb, peaches, and use either lemon or orange zest and juice, whichever suits the fruit you choose.. Top this attractive dessert with whipping cream or ice cream and watch it get gobbled up. Make the pastry a day or two ahead so the final steps go quickly.
Here's another way to use up all that rhubarb: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. Want a Summer Berry Shortcake? Click for more Desserts
Ingredients for the Flaky Pastry
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/3 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter
Method for the Flaky Pastry
Whisk the sugar, salt, and 1 1/3 cups flour in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into pieces.
Toss the butter in the dry ingredients to coat, then dump the mixture out onto a work surface. Roll the butter into the flour until it is in long flexible strips, using a bench scraper to scrape butter off rolling pin or surface as needed.
Use the bench scraper to gather mixture into a loose pile, then drizzle 4 tablespoons of ice water over. Using your hands and the bench scraper, toss the mixture until the water is distributed, then gather into a rectangular pile.
Roll out the dough to a long rectangle with the short ends about 8" wide, then use the bench scraper to fold dough into thirds, like folding a letter. It will be very crumbly and loose.
Using the bench scraper to help, turn the rectangle 90° and repeat, rolling and folding, gathering the loose bits of dough from the outer edges into the centre and flouring surface as needed. Repeat rolling and folding a third time. The dough should be somewhat homogenous and creamy-looking ,with some dry bits around edges. Squeeze a bit in your palm; it should loosely hold together. If not, repeat rolling and folding.
Wrap the folded dough in plastic, then press it into a compact disk about 1" thick. Chill 30 minutes or up to a few days.
When making the galette: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12"–14" round or oval about 1/8" thick (don’t worry about cracks around perimeter).
Dust the surface and the rolling pin with flour as needed and rotate the dough often to prevent wider cracks. If the dough sticks to surface, lift on one side and scatter flour underneath before continuing.
Roll the dough onto your pin, then unfurl it on a sheet of parchment paper. Slide the paper onto a rimmed baking sheet and chill while you prep the filling.
Do Ahead: The dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled, or transfer to a resealable plastic bag and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out.
Ingredients for the Fruit Mixture
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. finely grated lemon or orange zest (depending on the fruit you use)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling OR use crystal sugar for sprinkling
About 1 1/2 lb. berries or about 3-4 cups chopped fruit
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon or orange juice
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
Softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (for serving; optional)
Method for Making the Galette
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
Combine the cornstarch, zest, salt, and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Toss with your hands to combine, then add the fruit and toss to coat. Add the juice and toss gently. Taste to see if you want more sugar.
Using a slotted spoon, lift the fruit out of the bowl, drain the majority of the juice back into the bowl to avoid making the pastry soggy. Arrange the fruit mixture in the centre of the chilled dough (still on the parchment paper on the baking sheet) and spread the fruit out evenly, leaving a 3" border.
Fold the edges of dough up and over the fruit, pleating as needed and being careful that the folded edges of the dough doesn’t tear (if it does, patch it with dough scraps and pinch to seal).
Pour the cream into a small bowl and brush it all over the dough. Sprinkle the granulated or crystal sugar evenly over the dough.
Place the galette in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 375°F. Bake, rotating halfway through, until the crust is deep golden brown everywhere, the fruit is softened, and the juices are bubbling, 45–50 minutes. Serve warm or cooled with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.