Apple Galette
This apple galette bakes free-form on parchment, with thin cinnamon-coated apple slices exposed inside a broad, folded butter crust. Egg wash and coarse sugar give the rim a glossy, crisp finish. Keep the apples in loose, overlapping groups rather than a precise spiral.
The bake time is a guide: the pastry should be well browned near its base, and an apple slice in the center should yield readily to a knife.
Ingredients for Apple Galette
Pastry
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (155g)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed (113g)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water, as needed
Apple filling
- About 1 lb firm apples, approximately 3 medium, weighed before peeling and coring (450g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Crust finish
- 1 large egg, beaten, for brushing; some will remain
- 1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar
Yield: One galette, cut into 6 to 8 slices. Time: About 25 minutes active preparation, 45 to 60 minutes chilling, 35 to 45 minutes baking, and 20 minutes cooling.
How to Make Apple Galette
- Make the pastry: Mix the pastry flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the cold butter until small pieces remain visible. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, stopping when the dough holds together when pressed but is not sticky. Form a disk and refrigerate for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Preheat and roll: Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Roll the dough on parchment into a roughly 12-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. The edges need not be even.
- Prepare the apples: Peel and core the apples, then cut them into approximately 1/8-inch slices. Just before assembly, toss them with the filling sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
- Fill and fold: Arrange the apples in loose, overlapping groups, leaving about a 2-inch pastry border. Fold the border up and over the outer apples in broad, overlapping pleats, keeping the center open. Pinch cracks or open seams closed to help contain the juices. If the dough becomes too soft to fold, refrigerate it briefly until firmer.
- Finish the crust: Transfer the parchment and galette to a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly brush the exposed pastry with beaten egg, then sprinkle the coarse sugar over it.
- Bake: Bake uncovered for about 35 to 45 minutes, starting checks at 30 minutes. The folded crust should be well browned, including near its base, and an apple slice near the center should yield readily to a thin knife while holding its shape. If the rim browns before the apples soften, loosely shield it with foil and continue baking.
- Cool: Leave the galette on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes so it is easier to slice. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
How to Fold a Rustic Galette
The 2-inch border provides enough pastry to partly cover the outer apples while leaving most of the filling visible. Broad, irregular folds give the rim its height; overlapping them and pinching shut holes helps keep juices off the baking sheet. For an apple dessert with a more deliberate arrangement, try this French apple tart.
Choosing and Slicing the Apples
Granny Smith apples work on their own or mixed with another firm apple, such as Pink Lady. Slices about 1/8 inch thick can soften during the bake without losing their shape. Thicker slices or a more heavily filled galette may need longer, so check the fruit rather than relying only on the timer.
Using Purchased Pie Crust
One purchased pie crust can replace the homemade dough. Adjust the area covered by apples to leave a border wide enough to fold, and judge doneness by pastry color and apple tenderness; its diameter and baking time may differ. Puff pastry produces a different, puffier crust and is not a direct swap for these instructions.
Making Ahead and Storing Leftovers
The pastry dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for later use. Wrap leftover baked galette and refrigerate it; aim to enjoy it within a couple of days for best quality. Gently reheat refrigerated slices in the oven if desired.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per slice, based on 8 slices and excluding optional ice cream: 245 calories, 3g protein, 12g fat, and 33g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of baked galette: 290 calories, 3g protein, 14g fat, and 39g carbohydrates. Values vary with apple size, moisture lost during baking, and how much egg wash is used.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Pastry brush
- Thin-bladed knife
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (155 g)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed (113 g)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water, as needed
Apple filling
- About 1 lb firm apples, approximately 3 medium, weighed before peeling and coring (450 g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 g)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Crust finish
- 1 large egg, beaten, for brushing; some will remain
- 1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Mix the pastry flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
- Work in the cold butter until small pieces remain visible.
- Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together when pressed but is not sticky. Form a disk and refrigerate for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Roll the dough on parchment into a roughly 12-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick.
- Peel and core the apples, then cut them into approximately 1/8-inch slices. Just before assembly, toss them with the filling sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
- Arrange the apples in loose, overlapping groups, leaving about a 2-inch pastry border.
- Fold the border up and over the outer apples in broad, overlapping pleats, leaving the center open. Pinch cracks or open seams closed. If the dough is too soft to fold, refrigerate it briefly until firmer.
- Transfer the parchment and galette to a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the exposed pastry lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake uncovered for about 35 to 45 minutes, starting checks at 30 minutes. Bake until the crust is well browned near its base and a center apple slice yields readily to a thin knife while holding its shape. Loosely shield the rim with foil if it browns before the apples soften.
- Cool on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Tips
- Keep the butter cold and stop adding water as soon as the dough holds together when pressed.
- Arrange the apples in loose, overlapping groups rather than a precise spiral.
- Pinch gaps in the folded crust closed to help contain the juices.
- Check the apples and the crust for doneness rather than relying only on the timer.
- Use firm apples such as Granny Smith, or combine them with Pink Lady apples.
Variations
- Purchased pie crust: Replace the homemade pastry with one purchased pie crust, leaving a wide enough border to fold over the apples.
- Mixed apple filling: Use Granny Smith apples alone or combine them with another firm apple, such as Pink Lady.