Country Apple Galette | Jacques Pépin

Apples are all we can find in the country farm stand. But there is no compromising when it comes to making a country apple galette. Leave it to Jacques Pépin, he knows how to turn the ordinary into a delicate French dessert treat. It’s beautiful, yet simple to eat, pizza-style while standing.

All you need is some good flours: all-purpose and whole wheat or the combination of both. The most reliable source goes to King Arthur Flour, which is available throughout the US. I can’t stress enough the quality of the flour which decidedly makes a difference in taste, scent and texture of the finished pastry. (I used 50/50 organic all-purpose and whole-wheat flour from Champlain Valley Milling.) By the way, a food processor helps making the pastry dough come together in less than 20 seconds. A joy to make!

Another perennial advice in making the galette dough is to keep everything cold. It’s not a bad idea to keep the butter and rolling pin in the freezer until you’re ready to make the dough. In the summer, it’s always advisable to chill the dough when it gets too sticky to roll out to a 12- to 14-inch round. Then fold the edges over the apple slices arranged in a concentric circle in the center. Slits around the edges facilitate the foldings; but that’s entirely optional.

A second tip is to use a pizza stone, if you have one, to bake the galette. There is more to a pizza stone than baking pizza. A crispy bottom is essential to a good galette. You can cut it with ease and eat a slice like a pizza.

Winter can be long especially when outdoor activities are not your thing. If there is anything in which I’d dedicate my time and energy this winter, the country apple galette from Essential Pépin is a worthy candidate. It’s magnificent in taste, flaky in texture and your pastry skills will get a quick upgrade with practice. It’s highly recommended.

Print Recipe

Country Apple Galette from Essential Pépin

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• PASTRY:
• 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons (6g) sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (140g) cold unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
• ⅓ cup (79g) ice water
• TOPPING:
• 4 Golden Delicious or 6 small apples
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon honey (preferably wildflower)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)

Instructions

1

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.)

2

Peel, halve and core the apples and slice them crosswise 1/4 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.

3

Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 12- to 14-inch round 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. Slits around the edges facilitate the foldings; it's entirely optional.

4

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.

Notes

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/country-apple-galette