One of the most challenging parts of having a baking blog is deciding what you want to make. Sometimes I have an inspiration or a vision and I know exactly what I want to bake. More often than not, I get a recipe suggestion from a friend or family member who stumbled upson something that they really liked. Not that long ago, my blogging friend Tracy Lee Karner had the ingenious idea to give out free ideas for one of her blog posts. I puzzled over what I should ask for, and finally decided that I would request a recipe. She came up with the great idea for this country apple galette.
This simple baked apple dessert is the perfect ode to fall for my blog this year. Fall is easily my favorite season. With the delicious flavors of squash, pumpkins, cranberries, and apples—fall is paradise for a baker. This pizza-style galette is made with a simple and versatile pastry dough that comes together in a food processor in less than 20 seconds. It can be filled with any mixture of fruits or vegetables that inspires you while you’re in the kitchen. And because the tart is free form, you can shape the pastry into a round or rectangle.
Country Apple Galette Recipe
Adapted from Jacques Pépin
Pastry Ingredients
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
⅓ cup ice water
Topping Ingredients
4 Golden Delicious apples
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey, preferably wildflower
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Directions
In a food processor, combine the flour with the sugar, salt and butter and process for about 5 seconds. Sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture and process until the pastry just begins to come together, about 10 seconds; you should still be able to see small pieces of butter in it. Transfer the pastry to a work surface, gather it together and pat into a disk. Wrap the pastry in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate until chilled. (You can also roll out the pastry and use it right away.)
Peel, halve and core the apples and slice them crosswise ¼ inch thick. Set aside the larger center slices and coarsely chop the end slices and any broken ones; about half of the slices should be chopped. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
Preheat the oven to 400°. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 12-by-14-inch rectangle and transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the chopped apples over the pastry to within 1 inch of the edge. Drizzle the honey over the chopped apples. Decoratively arrange the apple slices on top in concentric circles or in slightly overlapping rows. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the apples and dot with the pieces of butter. Fold the pastry edge up and over the apples to create a 1-inch border.
Bake the galette for about 1 hour, until the pastry is nicely browned and crisp and all of the apples are tender. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the galette cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Heather’s Helpful Hints
If you’d like to save some time, the buttery pastry can be made ahead and then refrigerated overnight.
milkandbun
I do like galettes!!! Your looks so lovely and beautiful! :)
Heather @ Sweet Precision
Oh thank you!! They are so simple and delicious to make :)
the winegetter
Tracy really is the best...
Heather (Sweet Precision)
Yes she is!!
MOM
I am munching on a Zestar apple as I write. It is a WONDERFUL early Minnesota apple that is almost as jucy and crisp as our later-in-the-season Honey Crisp apple hybred from the University of Minnesota. I join your 'simple' band wagon as you know you take after your father who loves to cook. Even I may make this during our apple seasons!
Heather (Sweet Precision)
I can't wait for even more fall apples! The Honey Crisp apples at the grocery store were absolutely humongous last week. Matt and I may very well have to find our way to an apple orchard one of these weekends.
Heather (Sweet Precision)
Well said Francesca! I often find that I have to wait until I'm inspired to write something. Sometimes I bake a dessert and take my pictures, but find that I have to wait a couple weeks until I know what I want to write. The simplicity is what won me over with this recipe. Anything that can look fancy but doesn't take time is a recipe worth saving in my book. I wouldn't have found it without Tracy's suggestion!
Francesca
I totally relate. It's not always easy to decide what to blog about. I think it's all about inspiration. If you are not inspired, you better wait ... it will come to you eventually. ;-)
I love Tracy's ideas. She is so generous and funny and always eager to help others.
Your apple gallete is crazy gorgeous and very easy to make. A lethal combination! :-)
Tracy Lee Karner
Totally off the topic, Heather, but I'm going to do another bloggers' community late this month, on the theme of "pumpkin party." I'd like to feature you. Would you consider sending me a link to something you've posted or will soon post (related to pumpkins) and I'll incorporate it in my blog and link back to you. Then you can, if you want, share or repost...
Heather (Sweet Precision)
I love the idea Tracy, and I'm honored that you would ask! I loved your last round-up. It inspired me to make a butternut squash recipe similar to Francesca's this past weekend and it was wonderful! I'll look through my pumpkin recipes and send something your way!
Just Add Attitude
Your galette looks lovely and sounds simple to make, which is, I think, a good combination. I love the images you have take for this post.
Heather (Sweet Precision)
Thank you so much! I have to admit the simplicity was a major plus for me. Something that you can pull together in 15 minutes is exactly my kind of dessert!
matt
This was sooooo amazing. I only wish i wish I had ice cream to go with it. Note to everyone always eat warm!!!!!
Heather (Sweet Precision)
We devoured it in only two days!! I have no regrets... except that it's gone now :(
Jan
Have you heard of a Pluot? It's a cross between a plum and an apricot. It's delicious. You should make something with it.
Heather (Sweet Precision)
That sounds delicious! A cross between two of my favorite summer fruits! Have you seen them in the grocery store or somewhere else?
Stefano
A delicious creation, Heather, and another excellent example of Tracy's concept of "cooperative blogging" after her recent idea about soups.
Way to go, Heather and Tracy! :-)
Tracy Lee Karner
Isn't it beautifully fun? How we all interconnect!
Beautiful galette, Heather! I love that your cookie sheet looks just like mine... (and galette is my new favorite go-to pastry, quick and simple--and luscious with pears, too.)
Heather (Sweet Precision)
The connections are most definitely what make blogging fun! It's what keeps me motivated and makes me want to continue. When I first started my blog, I wasn't sure how long I wanted to maintain my site. But now I'm hooked and don't see myself stopping anytime soon :)