When you make a galette, you don't have to line, crimp and blind-bake the crust. So, if you want pie but are a beginner baker or apprehensive about your pastry-making skills, this is the recipe to try. This free-form, rustic cherry tart has fresh fruit and almond cream, and the result is juicy, slightly sweet, crunchy, and plain delicious.
Easy way to pie
Cherries are small but mighty for those of us who eagerly await their season. And a cherry pie is something to look forward to. But it's not the easiest recipe on the list, that's for sure.
Making a galette is the way to go without feeling intimidated by pie crust, just like making a cherry cobbler, where you get fruit and dough without the fuss.
Galette means rustic tart, and it has several advantages over making a regular cherry pie from scratch:
- The pie crust implies less effort and skills, so it's perfect for beginner bakers. It doesn't involve lining a pie pan, crimping the edges, and blind-baking it. And it's also great with purchased puff pastry.
- It's a perfect summer dessert for barbecues and picnics and to take advantage of seasonal fruit (not-so-great-to-eat cherries are perfect for this).
- It's lighter than its counterpart as it has less crust and filling. It's less rich, so the fruit flavor is more pronounced.
- There's no need for a pie dish as the galette is baked directly on a baking sheet, with or without parchment paper.
FAQ
They can be the same thing, one French and the other Italian. But crostata is also used when referring to lattice pies that are baked on a pie plate, like this fig jam tart.
Yes, you can. Though we always favor fresh cherries when available, frozen ones are a great way to make this cherry dessert in the off-season. Just make sure you buy pitted cherries.
Yes, you can, and it's a good idea if it was stored in the refrigerator. Warm it in a medium/high oven (350°F to 375°F) for about 10 minutes so that the crust crisps up again, or becomes flaky if using puff pastry.
Galette dough or puff pastry?
You can use both! And I have on many occasions. Whatever is less complicated at the moment.
- Italian pie dough: for a homemade crust, I love this sweet dough called pasta frolla. It's easy to roll, can be frozen for a few months, and bakes to a golden crunch. I really love it. It's sweet but not overly so, more spongy than our flaky pie crust, and richer from the extra egg yolk.
- Store-bought: yes, you can use your favorite sweet pastry from the grocery store, preferably all butter, but it also works with purchased puff pastry or flaky crust.
- All butter pie crust: this is always an option, the classic pie crust or sweet shortcrust pastry recipe that is so popular with readers of this blog.
Almond cream
I love this paste made from raw almonds and sugar. It's super easy and keeps in the refrigerator or freezer for a few weeks. In case you want a more detailed description, see How to Make Frangipane.
It pairs well with most fruit tarts.
Cherry filling
The filling consists of frangipane (almond cream) and fresh fruit. The almond paste creates a barrier between the fruit juices and the crust, making it crisper.
- Pitted cherries: This is an essential step, and using a cherry pitter is the way to go.
- Halve the cherries: another good idea, as whole cherries can be a mouthful (pun intended).
How to assemble a galette
There are a few details that you need to take into account.
- Size of the dough circle: the pie crust is rolled into a circle, ¾ of it is filled, starting at the center. The unfilled edges are turned inwards, encasing a small part of the cherries and leaving most of the filling exposed in the center. So make sure you leave a nice space around the edges (about a 2-inch border) to easily enclose the outer part of the fruit. Image above.
- Amount of fruit: While you want a reasonable amount, don't pile too many cherries, as it'll make cutting and eating the galette more complicated.
- Egg wash: Mix an egg with some milk and brush the edges of the dough. This will bake the dough to a more golden brown color.
- Sugar and almonds: I sprinkle the whole galette (outer edge and top of the fruit) with brown sugar before baking. It adds sweetness and crunch and looks pretty. You can also sprinkle some sliced almonds around the pie dough where it meets the cherries (see the peach galette).
- To prevent the galette from getting soggy, use a cold pie crust, add a base before adding the fruit, and assemble it right before putting it in the oven. This way, you don't give the fruit time to release liquid. For this easy cherry galette, we use almond cream, but a thin layer of ground nuts or cookie crumbs also works. They will soak up the extra juices from the fruit.
Baking
How do you know when the galette is done? The dough should be golden brown and dry, and the fruit bubbling and roasted, slightly shriveled. You can check the bottom of this rustic tart to see that it's not still white and soggy. If that is the case, place it in the lower part of the oven for 5-10 minutes so it browns.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Make ahead. Homemade crust: you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week and frozen for up to 2 months, always covered in plastic wrap or an airtight freezer bag. Almond cream: it keeps for weeks in the refrigerator and can be frozen. Always use an airtight container.
- Smaller galettes: this recipe makes about 4 individual rustic tarts. Very cute when you have guests.
- Hazelnut cream variation: to make the frangipane, use skinned, toasted hazelnuts instead of almonds. They pair very well with cherries.
- How to serve a cherry galette: a favorite is slightly warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For variation, cherries also go well with cinnamon ice cream, almond ice cream and brown sugar ice cream.
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Cherry Galette (with homemade or puff pastry)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown, or white sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, cold and in small pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup ice water, stir ice cubes in tap water
- 1 puff pastry sheet, store-bought, intead of the homemade crust
Egg wash:
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons cold water
For the quick frangipane (almond cream):
- 1 cup almond flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
For the cherry filling:
- 3 cups pitted cherries, halved
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for sprinkling before serving
Instructions
For the crust:
- In a bowl, mix 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup light brown and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Add ⅓ cup unsalted butter, cold and in pieces. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, cut in the butter until the mixture has coarse pea-sized bits.
- Add ¼ cup ice water and mix with a fork until the ingredients are combined and moistened. If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon of extra water or a tablespoon of extra flour if it's too wet.
- Use your hands to gather the dough into a round on a lightly floured counter. Don't overknead it. Handle it quickly, and don't let the butter start to soften. You can use a dough scraper to help you gather the dough.
- Make a ball with the dough, wrap it well in plastic and refrigerate it for 1 hour before rolling. At this point, you can keep it chilled for a day.
Make the frangipane:
- In a bowl, combine 1 cup almond flour, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup unsalted butter and ¼ teaspoon almond extract. Mix well until the ingredients are integrated and the mixture is smooth. Alternatively, use a small food processor to make a paste. Set aside.
Prepare the cherry pie filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Mix 1 egg yolk with 2 tablespoons cold waterr for the egg wash and reserve.
- In a bowl combine 3 cups pitted cherries, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir to mix and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface or on parchment paper, roll the cold dough into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Or use the store-bought puff pastry
- Spread the frangipane covering most of the dough but leaving a 2-inch border.
- Scatter the cherries over the almond cream. Carefully fold the edges of the dough over the cherries.
- Brush the edges of the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle some brown or white sugar over the egg mixture.
- Immediately put in the preheated oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving, dust with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
MB says
If using frozen cherries should they be thawed and drained before measuring or used frozen? Thanks.
Paula Montenegro says
Measure and use them directly without thawing. But let them thaw a little before using them. The filling doesn't have thickeners and the extra liquid is not the best thing. Happy baking!