Rustic Apple Galette
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Flour, sugar, salt tossed in food processor. Butter diced pea-size, water trickled in to bind dough. Chill. Thin apple slices tossed with cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon, and sugar—tangy-sweet meld. Dough rolled thin, placed on parchment. Filling nestled inside rim, edges pleated over. Egg wash or cream brushed, coarse sugar sparkles on crust. Bakes till golden crackles, apples soft-sweet. Warm jam glaze brushed on. Serve with vanilla ice cream for cool contrast.
Prep:
125 min
Cook:
45 min
Total:
170 min
Servings:
8 servings
#American dessert
#fruit galette
#rustic baking
#fall dessert
#spiced apples
#pastry
Started sloppy, dough too sticky, butter melting. Learned to pulse less, cold butter chunks key. Ice water trick—slow drizzle, watch feel not exact spoon count. Apples sliced uniform, toss in spices and sugar—too much sugar? Flooded out filling. Cornstarch saves soggy disasters. Rolling dough thinner than I thought—helps crust crisp and crackle right. 365 degrees keeps crust from burning before apples cook through. Love pleating edges, like wrapping a gift, imperfect but beautiful. Glazing apricot jam with water, brightens fruit and adds luster. Tried many fruit combos but apples hold a nostalgic magic; tart, sweet, warm spices in every bite. Watch the crust color more than timer, that’s how you nail it. Serve solo or with vanilla ice cream—total knockout.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour 2 2/3 cups
- Granulated sugar 1 Tbsp
- Salt 1/2 tsp
- Unsalted butter cold, cubed 3/4 cup
- Ice water 4-5 Tbsp
- Apples peeled or unpeeled sliced 5 large (~2 pounds)
- Brown sugar 1/3 cup
- Ground cinnamon 1 1/4 tsp
- Fresh lemon juice 2 tsp
- Grated nutmeg 1/8 tsp
- Cornstarch 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Apricot jam 2 Tbsp
- Heavy cream or egg wash 1 Tbsp
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling optional 1 Tbsp
About the ingredients
Butter must be cold or flaky layers never form. Cubed and chilled if you have to. Flour can be all-purpose or pastry flour for tender crumb; all-purpose is easier to find and works fine. Sugar amount cut lightly from original, adjust sweetness based on fruit used. Cornstarch thickens juices preventing soggy bottom—a must for juicy fruits like apples. Lemon juice adds acid balance; powdered or real works but lemon is best for brightness. Apricot jam optional but helps that glossy baked fruit look and adds subtle tang. Use heavy cream or egg wash—cream browns crust gently; egg wash makes it shinier. Coarse sugar sprinkle adds crunch; flaky salt sprinkled on crust is an avant-garde twist if you want savory contrast. Ice water cold as winter’s chill, helps limit gluten development. Too warm or too much water makes dough sticky and tough. Don’t overthink measuring water; better to add less and add more than overdo it.
Method
- Flour, sugar, salt dumped in food processor bowl. Pulse few times mixing dry bits. Add cold butter cubes. Pulse 7-9 times. Look for pea-sized butter clumps. Overpulsing warms butter wrecks flakiness.
- Drizzle in cold water 4 Tbsp first, pulse after each Tbsp. Dough should start clumping but not wet or sticky. Use max 5 Tbsp. Less if humid. Dough feels like slightly coarse playdough. Too wet = tough crust on bake.
- Scrape dough out onto floured spot. Roll into rough ball, gently press into thick disk. Don’t knead or warm dough with hands too much. Cover in plastic and chill 30-65 minutes till firm but pliable.
- Slice apples about 1/4 inch thick. Peel if you want softer filling. Toss in big bowl with brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, nutmeg, cornstarch. Toss lightly till each slice shiny, sugar sparkling but not mushy.
- Dough chilled? Great. Dust flour and roll out into 12-inch circle. About 1/8-inch thickness. Fix any cracks by pressing dough back or clean with knife. Dough will feel cool and slightly firm but flexible—avoid tearing now.
- Slide rolling pin under dough and gently transfer it to parchment on baking sheet. Tip: press lightly down center with 9-inch pie pan to guide filling space. Saves guessing, keeps edges neat.
- Preheat oven to 365°F instead of 375. Patchy browning happens too fast at higher heats on rustic crusts. Throws off baketime. Aim for even golden.
- Mound apples in center, leaving that 1.5 to 2-inch rim bare. Fold dough edges over filling, overlapping and pleating as you go around. Don’t pull dough tightly. It should drape naturally without resistance.
- Brush dough edges with cream or egg wash, smooth strokes. Bonus: coarse sugar sprinkled for crunch and sparkle. No sugar? Sprinkle flaky salt for contrast or skip altogether.
- Slide into oven. Bake 40-50 minutes till crust is deep golden with some darker speckles. Filling should bubble lightly, scent of cinnamon and caramelized sugar wafts so you know it’s done. Don’t rush removing from oven.
- Remove galette on parchment by lifting edges of sheet. Cool on wire rack till warm, not piping hot. Mix apricot jam with water to thin glaze. Brush fruit filling gently so it gleams sticky and shiny—signature finish.
- Slice into wedges. Serve with cold vanilla bean ice cream or dollop thick cream. Sweet, tart, crisp crust. Each bite crackles, yields juicy spiced apples. A rustic celebration.
Cooking tips
Food processor saves time but you can do this by hand using pastry cutter or fingers, just keep butter chunky and cold. Butter size pea-like insures flaky texture—too small and it melts too fast. Dribble water a tablespoon at a time; look for dough clumping but not pasty. Roll dough onto floured surface gently to prevent tearing; mend cracks first or dough will dry out. Transfer onto parchment with rolling pin—less mess. Docking dough not needed here; steam vents from fruit juices escaping. Baking at 365 prevents burnt edges while fruits cook down slowly, better caramelization. Fold dough edges so filling is nestled snug but not squished. Brush edges with cream or egg for color and texture. Sugar on crust browns and crunches, any coarser sugar you have works. Baking time is a guide; watch crust and bubbling filling. Apricot jam glaze added warm to ensure spreadability but not hot or will melt crust dull. Cooling on wire allows crust crisping, no steam traps. Serve once slightly warm or cooled; piping hot is dangerous and fillings could drip. Ice cream or whipped cream balances tart spices well.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter cold, cubed pea-size or bigger. Pulse dough less, look for clumps visible. Over-pulse, you lose layers; crumb turns dense. Ice water trick. Add slowly, tablespoon then another if needed. Dough should clump but not sticky. Too much = tough crust on bake. Feel coarse but dough holds. Chill dough wrapped tight, 30-65 min. Cold dough handles roll better, less tear. Don’t knead or warm with hands, it melts butter layers—ruins crispiness. Roll with flour but not too much; dry dough is more breakable. Patch cracks quick with fingers or knife damp with flour, seals.
- 💡 Apple slices uniform. About 1/4 inch thick. Thinner slices cook evenly but don’t mush. Peel or not? Peel softer filling, unpeeled for texture/tartness. Toss with spices and sugar while slices cold. Enough sugar for sparkle but not soaking. Cornstarch key to stop soggy bottom. Mix till each slice shiny but firm. Toss lightly; overwork apples break down faster in oven. Spread filling centered leaving 1.5-2 inch dough rim bare. Rim edges fold naturally not pulling tight—prevent shrinking mid-bake, keep shape rustic.
- 💡 Oven set to 365°F (not 375). You want even browning. Higher temps brown edges too fast, leaving center undercooked. Watch the crust color closely. Golden with darker speckles signals done. Filling bubbling a must—light bubbles, scent cinnamon caramel sugar fills kitchen. Don’t rush removal or cooling. Take galette on parchment, lift edges of sheet, cool on wire for crust crisping. Hot off bake crust soggy; steam trapped. Apricot jam warmed, thinned with water brushes over fruit filling last step, helps shine without melting crust dull. Coarse sugar or flaky salt sprinkle adds crunch or twist.
- 💡 Use heavy cream or egg wash on folded dough edges. Cream browns gently, subtle texture. Egg wash makes crust shinier, stronger color. Sprinkle sugar after wash but before baking. Coarse sugar crunches as bake, scattered sparkles on crust. No coarse sugar? Flaky salt is savory contrast if you want. No sugar? Skip. Personal favorite to balance sweet-spiced fruit. Rolling pin helps move dough onto parchment. Slide under gently, prevent stretch or tear. Press dough edges down lightly with pie pan or your palm to guide shape, avoid guesswork.
- 💡 Cooling. Don’t cut right out of oven — filling flows, temperature too hot. Wait till warm but not cold. Slice into wedges, serve plain or with vanilla bean ice cream. Cream or ice cream balances tart spice. Bite texture contrast key—crispy crust crackling with juicy spiced apples inside. Tastes best day-baked but store leftover tightly-wrapped; crispness fades but flavor still nice cold or reheated. Reheat briefly in oven, not microwave for soggy crust. Storage best in fridge, up to 2 days max.
Common questions
How to keep crust flaky?
Butter must stay cold all times. Pulse less in food processor. Clumps visible. Chill dough thoroughly. Too warm? Dough tough, crumb dense. Don’t overwork or knead. Dry flour dust stops stickiness but avoid too much or tear risk. Roll gently. Chill again if soft.
Can I use other fruits?
Apples hold moisture well, not too watery. Peaches or berries too soft, watery unless adjust cornstarch. Too much sugar swamps flavor. Use lemon juice for brightness. Fruit juiciness varies; watch baking time, bubbling filling sign. Swap spices for fruit, but cinnamon-nutmeg standard here.
Why add cornstarch?
Stops soggy bottom. Cornstarch thickens fruit juices in bake. Apples release liquid, without thickener crust soggy, dough undercooked. Use 1-2 tbsp depending on fruit weight. No thickener? Use less sugar, don't over-mix filling. Baking on parchment prevents sticking but cornstarch key.
How store leftovers?
Cool completely or steam ruins crisp. Wrap tight, fridge 1-2 days. Reheat briefly in oven for crunch. Avoid microwave; soggy crust. Freezing okay but affects texture, reheat fully. Leftovers make good snack cold but crust less crisp.
