Apricot Galette
One of the small luxuries of life on Lesvos is the produce. In summer, the markets are full of baskets of apricots, cherries, nectarines, tomatoes, herbs, and whatever else is having its moment. The fruit is usually cheap, fragrant, and impossible to resist, which is how we keep ending up with more than two people can reasonably eat.
This little galette started with five lonely apricots sitting on the counter. Not enough for a pie. Too good to ignore. Exactly enough for a small rustic dessert for two.
A galette is one of my favorite ways to bake with fruit because it does not need to be perfect. You roll out a simple dough, pile fruit in the middle, fold the edges over, and bake it until the crust is golden and the fruit turns soft, glossy, and jammy. It looks beautiful because it is imperfect, which is my favorite kind of baking. If you’re afraid of making pie crust - start here. If it looks like a mess? Claim that it’s rustic charm.
I added a little chopped nut and brown sugar mixture under the apricots because I had some left from a baklava cheesecake. It worked perfectly. The nuts absorbed some of the fruit juices, added texture, and gave the whole thing a delicious crunch.
We ate it warm with thick Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey. Ice cream would also be lovely, but the yogurt keeps it fresh and a little less sweet, which is exactly what I wanted.
Small-Batch Apricot Galette
Makes 1 small galette, serving 2.
Ingredients
For the crust:
80 g all-purpose flour, about 2/3 cup
1 ½ tsp sugar
Pinch of salt
57 g cold butter, about 4 tablespoons, cut into small pea-sized pieces
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 Tbsp ice water
For the filling:
174 g fresh apricots, whole weight, about 5 small apricots, pitted and sliced
1 Tbsp sugar (regular or brown)
1 tsp cornstarch
½ tsp vanilla extract
sprinkle of ground cardamom + cinnamon
For the base and finishing:
10 to 15 g finely chopped nuts mixed with brown sugar, about 2 tablespoons
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
4 g or 1 tsp coarse sugar, ideally turbinado
Honey, for drizzling
Thick Greek yogurt, for serving
Directions
Make the dough first. In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter and use your fingers, a fork, or a pastry cutter to rub it into the flour until the mixture looks crumbly, with some pieces of butter still visible. You do not want the butter fully blended in. Those small pieces help make the crust flaky.
Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of ice water and gently mix until the dough starts to come together. Add more ice water only as needed, a teaspoon at a time. The dough should hold together when pressed, but it should not feel wet or sticky.
Shape the dough into a small disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it for at least 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry, 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer will help, but do not let it freeze solid.
While the dough chills, prepare the apricots. Pit and slice the apricots, then toss them with the sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Let them sit while the oven preheats.
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper.
Roll the chilled dough into a rough circle on a lightly floured surface or directly on parchment paper. Aim for about 20 to 23 cm / 8 to 9 inches across. It does not need to be perfect. A ragged edge is part of the charm.
Sprinkle the chopped nut and brown sugar mixture in the center of the dough, leaving about 4 cm / 1 1/2 inches around the edge. Pile the apricots over the nuts, leaving any excessive liquid behind in the bowl if the fruit has released a lot of juice.
Fold the edges of the dough up and over the fruit, pleating as you go. The center should remain open. Brush the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden and the apricots are bubbling. If your oven runs hot or unevenly, start checking around 22 minutes. The bottom should be cooked through and the crust should look browned, not pale.
Let the galette cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with honey and serve with thick Greek yogurt.
Standard Apricot Galette
Makes 1 medium galette, serving 6.
Ingredients
For the crust:
160 g all-purpose flour, about 1 1/3 cup
1 Tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
113 g cold butter, about ½ cup, cut into small pea-sized pieces
3-5 Tbsp ice water
For the filling:
500 to 600 g fresh apricots, whole weight, about 14-18 each, pitted and sliced
3 Tbsp sugar (regular or brown)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
sprinkle of ground cardamom + cinnamon
For the base and finishing:
30 g finely chopped nuts mixed with brown sugar, about ¼ cup
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
1-2 Tbsp coarse sugar, ideally turbinado
Honey, for drizzling
Thick Greek yogurt, for serving
Directions
Make the dough by combining the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly with visible pieces of butter remaining. Add some ice water and mix gently. Add more ice water only as needed until the dough holds together when pressed.
Shape into a disk, wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Pit and slice the apricots. Toss them with the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and optional spice. Set aside while the oven preheats.
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll the dough into a rough 30 to 33 cm / 12 to 13 inch circle. Transfer it to the parchment-lined tray if it is not already on parchment.
Sprinkle the nut and brown sugar mixture over the center of the dough, leaving a 5 cm / 2 inch border. Add the apricot filling over the nuts. Fold the dough edges up and over the fruit, pleating as needed.
Brush the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
Serve warm or at room temperature with honey and thick Greek yogurt.
Notes
If your apricots are very ripe and juicy, do not pour all the extra liquid into the galette. Too much liquid can make the bottom soggy.
The chopped nuts under the fruit are optional, but useful. They add flavor and help absorb some of the apricot juices.
This recipe also works with nectarines, peaches, cherries, plums, or a mix of summer fruit. If using cherries, pit them first and consider adding a little lemon zest.
You can make the dough ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling if it is too firm.
For a prettier crust, do not underbake it. Galettes are best when the edges are properly golden and crisp.
