Almond Peach Galette (free-form tart)
This is a scrumptious recipe to take advantage of seasonal peaches. A galette is a free-form, rustic peach tart where you don't have to line, crimp and blind-bake the crust. This one has fresh peaches and almond cream, and the result is juicy, slightly sweet, crunchy, and plain delicious. And the components can be made ahead.
Servings 8 slices
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 recipe Italian pie crust or purchased puff pastry round for other alternatives see Notes, below
For the almond cream (frangipane):
- ½ cup whole almonds
- ⅓ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg white at room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon flour
- ¼ teaspoon each of pure almond and vanilla extracts
- 1 tablespoon milk
Assembling the galette:
- 3-4 large peaches cored and sliced (with or without skin)
- 3-4 tablespoons sugar I like brown sugar more than white, but both work just fine
- 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
Instructions
For the almond cream:
- Put almonds and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until almonds are in coarse pieces.
- Add butter in pieces and egg.
- Process until it all becomes a cream.
- Add flour, almond extract and/or vanilla extract, if using, and process *just* to mix.
- Mix the frangipane with the milk and reserve.
Assembling the tart:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Have ready the measured almond cream and the sliced peaches. After the dough is rolled the assembly should be quick so the pie crust doesn't start to soften too much.
- If using homemade crust: To roll the dough, start with the disk of cold dough on the counter, roll it a few inches, and finish on a piece of paper that will then go onto the baking sheet with the assembled galette. You will need to roll the dough about 2 extra inches than the galette size you want to make.
- Lightly flour the counter space and have ready the piece of parchment paper at least 8x8 inches.
- Take out the dough from the fridge and begin to roll it, lifting and turning it a quarter (I do it to the left) regularly, making sure that it doesn't stick.
- Make a circle of roughly 11 inches in diameter to have a final 8-inch galette. I recommend transferring the dough to the parchment paper when it's about 9 inches and rolling the rest on the paper, even if the paper is smaller. You will turn the edges inwards so don't worry. At no point should the dough start to warm and stick too much to the paper. If this happens, put the paper with the dough on a sheet and chill the whole thing for a few minutes before continuing rolling.
- Spread the almond cream in the center, making a circle and leaving about 2 inches without filling.
- Arrange the peach slices any way you want.
- Dust the fruit with the sugar and start turning the leftover crust inward. It will fold in small pieces each time you lift it.
- Complete the round and sprinkle the outer edge with the sliced almonds. You can add an egg wash first if you want to. Simply mix a lightly beaten egg and a tablespoon of milk and brush before sprinkling the sugar.
- Bake for about 40 minutes or until the dough is golden, the fruit bubbly and the almond cream somewhat set.
- Let cool on a wire rack until you can carefully transfer it to a serving plate.
- Eat warm or at room temperature sprinkled with powdered sugar, a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream and a drizzle of honey.
- Store leftovers at room temperature for a day and after refrigeration for 3-4 days, always wrapped to avoid them from drying out.
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 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.
Crust: alternatively you can use our sweet shortcrust pastry, the perfect flaky pie crust if you want a more neutral dough that is not so sweet. Or any other sweet crust you like, homemade or store-bought.
Egg wash: you can omit it, but it adds a golden hue that is very nice. You can also sprinkle turbinado sugar before baking, which is coarser than regular one, for a crunchier finish.
Smaller galettes: this recipe makes about 4 individual rustic tarts, which are very cute when you have guests. Serve each with a scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped cream.
