Featuring raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, this rustic tart is the perfect treat for midsummer, when berries are at their peak. The secret to this free-form galette is the layer of ground almonds under the berries; it thickens the juices, prevents a soggy crust, and delivers an exquisite complementary flavor to the berries.
A galette is simply a flat, round cake. The term stems from the Norman word gale, which means “flat cake.” While a traditional tart is baked in a tart pan with sides, a galette is assembled and baked on a baking sheet, making for a more casual, relaxed presentation.
Several types of galettes are popular in France. You may be familiar with Galette des Rois (Three Kings’ Cake), traditionally served at Epiphany celebrations. It consists of an almond cream enclosed in two circles of puff pastry. A bean or trinket is hidden in the filling, and the lucky person who finds the bean is named king or queen. A Galette Bretonne is a savory buckwheat crêpe from Brittany.
This Mixed Berry Galette is a classic open-face fruit galette. It’s easier and lighter than a double-crust pie. Celebrate summer with the bounty of berries!
Ingredients
Crust:
¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick), cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
¼ cup ice water, plus more as needed
1 large egg, separated (save the white to glaze the pastry)
1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar
Filling and Glaze:
¼ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
4 cups mixed fresh berries, such as blackberries, raspberries and blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons raspberry, blackberry, or blueberry jam
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving
Preparation
1. To prepare the crust: Whisk ¾ cup whole-wheat flour, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces. Add the oil and stir with a fork to blend. Mix the ice water, the egg yolk, and the lemon juice (or vinegar) in a measuring cup. Stirring with a fork, add just enough of this egg yolk mixture to the flour mixture until the dough clumps together. (Add a little water if the dough seems dry.) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead it several times. Form the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 2 days.
2. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. To prepare the filling and assemble the galette: Spread the almonds in a small baking pan. Bake until light golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Combine ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup sugar, and the cooled toasted almonds in a food processor or blender; process until the almonds are ground.
4. If the dough has become stiff from chilling, let it sit at room temperature for about ½ hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rough 13- to-14-inch circle, about ¼ inch thick. Roll the dough back over the rolling pin, brush off any excess flour, and transfer the crust to the prepared baking sheet. Spread the almond mixture over the crust, leaving a 2-inch border around the perimeter. Toss the berries with lemon juice in a large bowl; spoon them over the almond mixture. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over the berries. Fold the border up and over the filling, pleating as necessary. Blend the reserved egg white and 1 tablespoon water with a fork in a small bowl; brush lightly over the galette rim. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar over the rim.
5. Bake the galette for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF, and bake until the crust is golden and crisp and the filling juices are bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Leaving the galette on the parchment, carefully slide it onto a wire rack. Let it cool.
6. Shortly before serving, transfer the galette to a serving platter. Melt the jam in small saucepan over low heat; brush it over the berries. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Cut the galette into wedges. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Makes 12 servings.
Tip: You can substitute frozen unsweetened berries for some or all of the fresh berries. Note that baking time will be a little longer.
Patsy Jamieson