Weather: 52, cloudy.
What I’m listening to: kids playing with the chickens
I had four pretty peaches staring at me from the fruit bowl saying, “Use me, use me.”
This was my first time ever making or eating a galette. A galette is a rustic, free-form tart or pie. I had already posted a peach pie recipe earlier this summer, I still don’t own a tart pan (it’s on my wish list!), and I didn’t have any vanilla ice cream made for cobbler (a must in my book!), so I was excited to try something new.
There are a few things I really loved about this galette. This is much easier than a traditional pie or tart. Roll out your dough, pile sugared peaches on top, and fold up the edges in simple pleats. Brush dough with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, bake.
Isn’t she just a beauty? Beautiful in that unassuming, unrefined sort of way. She slices easily, much easier than a fruit pie. Another thing I loved about this galette is the way the crust and the peaches get a little caramelization on them – due in large part to using brown sugar – which adds a lovely caramelly depth. Lastly, I adored the texture of the crust. Because it lays flat on the pan, all the edges get more heat exposure and the result is golden and crisp.
Peach Galette
Adapted from [Living Tastefully|http://livingtastefully.weebly.com/2/post/2012/08/peach-free-form-tart.html]
Yields: 1 galette, serves 6-8
- For the crust:
- 1-1/2c all-purpose unbleached flour
- 2T sugar
- 1/2t salt
- 6T cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1/4c ice water (you may not need all of this)
- For the peaches:
- 4 large, ripe but firm peaches
- 1/4c plus 2T brown sugar
- 2T flour
- pinch of salt
- 1/2t vanilla (I used vanilla bean paste, found in my Amazon store)
- 2t lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Pinch of ginger
- To finish:
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1T whole milk or cream
- 2T sugar, for sprinkling
- 2T sliced almonds (optional)
!For the crust:
In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the cold butter until mixture resembles crumbs. Gradually add the ice water until the dough comes together. Refrigerate while you prepare the peaches.
Preheat oven to 425. Line a rim-less baking sheet with parchment paper (I used the under side of a large rimmed baking sheet).
!For the peaches:
In a bowl, combine peaches, sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, lemon, and spices. Refrigerate while you roll out the dough.
On a floured work-surface, roll dough into a 12-inch round (this does not have to be perfectly round). Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet (dough may hang over edges of pan, but that's ok).
Whisk together the egg and whole milk.
Mound peaches into the middle of the dough. Fold dough up the sides of peaches in small portions to make pleats (as pictured). Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash onto the crust edges, being sure to secure the pleats with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top of tart, if using, and return to oven for 5-10 more minutes (45-50 minutes total). The crust should be golden and the peaches bubbling. Spoon any juices on the pan back on top of the galette. Cool 15 minutes before slicing.