Galettes, free form pastries with origins in France, are one of my favorite ways to showcase summer fruits (that is, when I’m not eating them raw.)
This galette celebrates the arrival of summer berry season. Here in Michigan, where I recently moved, the local farmer’s market was overflowing with strawberries last week. I used a handful of the fresh, ripe berries to decorate the top of this hand-shaped tart. I began with a basic crust recipe from Food & Wine magazine and tweaked it, adding whole wheat flour and a little extra butter for a flakier texture. The pecan filling is my twist on frangipane, an almond cream often used in French baking, particularly tarts and galettes. I added whole wheat flour here too, for a nutty flavor and some added nutrition
Crust
Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon sugar
Pinch of salt
8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
¼ cup ice water
Filling
Adapted from Saveur Magazine
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup pecans, toasted and finely ground
2 eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup whole wheat flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Handful of strawberries (around 10 small ones or 6 large ones)
Prepare the crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, and salt. Mix in butter, using your fingertips or a pastry blender, until dough takes on the consistency of pea-sized lumps. Stir in ice-cold water, a tiny bit at a time, until dough is just moist enough to come together; you may not need to use all the water. Knead dough several times, until smooth. Flatten and shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap or tinfoil, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine sugar, finely ground pecans (they should have a paste-like texture,) and one of the eggs. Stir in softened butter, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt until smooth. Add remaining egg. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Assemble and bake: Remove dough from fridge and allow to defrost for a few minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into a circle around ⅛ inch thick, and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Spread filling over the dough, leaving a border of an inch or two around the edges. Fold edges over the filling to form a hand-shaped tart crust; the folds can overlap, forming a pleated pattern. Bake until edges turn golden brown, and the frangipane filling takes on some color; this can take anywhere from 20-35 minutes, depending on the oven (the crust browned very quickly in my electric oven.) Make sure to monitor carefully so the galette doesn’t burn. Serve right away, or let cool and store in the refrigerator.
