Recipe: Mixed Berry Galette
Make the most of the too-short berry season with this free-form tart.
Local berries are in their sassy, juicy, tart-sweet prime. My blueberry bushes are bursting and while I don’t yet grow raspberries, I know someone who does. Plus I know where to buy them. Keep in mind that locally grown raspberries are more fragile and perishable than those shipped from California. Devour them right away, jam them or freeze them or make this galette.
A galette is a free-form tart. It’s fun and easy and you only need to make one crust — and it doesn’t need to be fluted or latticed, if that’s not your thing. It is my thing, but I appreciate the ease and funky rustic beauty of a galette.
This galette is especially delightful because the fresh-as-they-can-be berries create a rich, just sweet-enough filling that tingles on the tongue. Mix and match the berries as you wish. Do all blueberries -- maybe add a splash more lemon juice – or toss in some pitted, halved sweet cherries. Or mix the blues with raspberries. If adding blackberries, cut them in half first. If adding strawberries, choose only small, sweet local ones. Larger supermarket strawberries won’t cut it. Don’t forget the softly whipped cream, sweetened with a touch of honey. A scoop of ice cream won’t hurt, either.
Mixed Berry Galette
Makes 6 portions
Pastry:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into cups and leveled off
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
5 to 7 tablespoons ice water
Filling:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch (see Note)
Pinch salt
Pinch ground cinnamon
3 cups fresh berries, can be a mix of blueberries, raspberries and/or small hulled and halved local strawberries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut up
Egg wash: 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon milk or cream
Granulated sugar, for dusting
1. To make the dough: In a food processor, put the flour, sugar and salt; pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
2. Add the water though the feed tube, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Pulse briefly after each addition until the dough is evenly moistened and starts to form larger clumps. Transfer to a work surface and gather into a disk, lightly flouring the dough if needed. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. To make the filling: In a large bowl, mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt and cinnamon. Add the berries and drizzle with the lemon juice. Mix gently with a rubber a spatula until the berries are evenly coated, being careful not to crush them. Let stand about 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, on a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a rough 12-inch round. Lightly fold it into quarters, brush off any excess flour and unfold it on the lined baking sheet. If it’s gotten warm, put the baking sheet of dough in the freezer for a few minutes. If it gets too hard, let it stand at room temp for a few minutes to soften.
6. Scrape the filling and any juices onto the center of the dough, spreading it just a bit, leaving a 2-inch border. Gently lift the dough border up and around the filling, pleating and folding the edges. Don’t fuss too much, it’s not supposed to be perfect. Dot the filling with the 1 tablespoon butter. Brush the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
7. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is well browned and the filling is bubbly, which helps the juices to thicken. If the bottom seems to be browning too much, slide another baking sheet under the first. If the pastry seems too brown but the filling isn’t bubbly, loosely place a sheet of foil on top of the galette and bake a few minutes more.
8. Remove the galette from the oven and cool it still on the pan on a wire rack for at least ½ hour. With a metal spatula, carefully transfer it to a cutting board or platter. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges. Next day leftovers are delicious but the pastry won’t be as crisp.
Note: This amount of cornstarch makes a firm, not juicy filling. Hot from the oven, it may be runny, but it firms up when cooled, which was my goal and it kept the bottom crust crisp. Plus it’s hard to judge how juicy berries will be. If you want the juices to flow more, use only 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
