A Simple Pear Galette
This simple pear galette recipe is a versatile and comforting dessert, perfect for autumn. The hand-formed crust and delicate slices of pear create a rustic charm. Adjust the sweetness to complement the flavor of the pears. It's a delightful treat that brings people together and reduces food waste.
Ingredients
- For the Pastry:
- 60g/1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus some extra for rolling out dough
- 60g/1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 100g unsalted butter cold, cut into small cubes
- cold water, as needed
- For the Filling:
- 1 pear cored, and thinly sliced into half moons
- 2 peaches/nectarines depitted, and thinly sliced into half moons
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice with grated rind
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt or whipped cream with cinnamon for serving
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Make the pastry by adding the flour, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor with the mixing attachment. Lightly pulse until you have a thick course sandy mixture, but still able to see pea-sized butter chunks throughout. This can be done by hand in a mixing bowl if you do not have a food processor.
- Slowly add up to 2 tablespoons of ice water until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the pastry.
- Tumble the dough out of the food processor and work it into a ball. Wrap the dough up in a piece of baking paper or cling wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 30 - 120 minutes.
- To assemble the filling, gently combine the sliced fruits with the brown sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and rind, and balsamic vinegar. Let this rest for about 30 minutes before baking. The sugar will extract any additional liquid that would make the pastry soggy.
- Dust the surface of a piece of baking paper with flour and roll out your dough into a rough circle. About 3mm thick and 30cm wide. Leaving behind the fruit juices (save this for serving), place the peaches and pears in the centre, shingling them one over the other to create a fish-scale type pattern. Leave a 3-5cm border of pastry at the edge.
- Fold over the edges of the dough and ensure that the seams are pressed together to prevent the fruit juices from flowing out whilst baking. Brush the pastry with an egg wash (heavy cream works just as well) and finish by sprinkling a small amount of brown sugar on top.
- Bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 200℃, until the crust has a golden brown hue. I find that the pastry should be rotated halfway through to ensure all sides are evenly browned.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm with whipped cream or greek yoghurt with cinnamon sprinkled on top, and spoon over the leftover sugared fruit juices. Allowing the galette to cool slightly will thicken up the juices inside, but I like to tuck it in as soon as it comes out of the oven!