Rosy Apple-Cranberry Galette. . . Blushing Beauty for the Holiday Table

Blushing Beauty: Rosy Apple-Cranberry Galette 

Confession: a slightly different version of this blog post should have published before Thanksgiving. However . . . LIFE. Yes, that. If you live in Vermont you know about the early snow followed by the crazy cold snap —and by cold snap I mean near-record setting, ridiculous, -1 degree weather, the night before Thanksgiving. Somehow, during the last storm, I managed to drop my tractor key somewhere in the snow, necessitating a trip to the local John Deere dealer for a spare in order to start Johnny back up for the second storm. But you know that weak battery in the car? Of course you don’t, or you would have replaced it by now. Well, I didn’t get around to that and it finally kicked the bucket. Murphy’s Law. I know these things, and usually I am prepared. It really isn’t like me to be so scatter brained. Full moon?

Thankfully, a kind and thoughtful gentleman gave me an emergency battery pack (with jumper cables!), some years ago. And so —although quite delayed— the story has a happy ending: car jumped, spare key procured, new battery installed, driveway cleared, apples and pears picked up from local orchard. Phew. Apple-Pear Galette baked on Thanksgiving Day. Apple-Pear Galette eaten by the thoughtful gentleman and his family on Thanksgiving Day. No time for blog post. But, what a great excuse to use up some leftover cranberries and bake a different dessert this weekend! So, today I present to you a far more colorful, and equally (two pieces already eaten), delicious delight: the Rosy Apple-Cranberry Galette. A blushing beauty for your holiday table and beyond!

Thanks to all of you for your friendship & support throughout the year!

For Holiday Tables & Beyond: Rosy Apple-Cranberry Galette

R O S Y   A P P L E – C R A N B E R R Y   G A L E T T E

Basic galette dough recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking Chez Moi. Fruit filling adapted from Linda Lomelino’s apple-pear version, found in her book, Lomelino’s Pies.

Ingredients:

For the Galette Dough:

1  1/2  cups (7 1/4 oz / 204 grams)  all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur regular or their 1-1 gluten free blend)

2  tablespoons  sugar

1/2  teaspoon fine sea salt

8 tablespoons (4 oz / 113 grams) ice-cold, unsalted butter (I use Kerry Gold)

1/4  cup (60 ml) ice water

For Fruit Filling:

1  1/2 pounds cored, peeled & sliced apples (approximately 3-4 medium apples) I used a combination of Honey Crisp and Mustu, but any reasonably firm, tart/sweet apples will work here

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons raw cane sugar (I prefer my fruit pies to be less sweet, but add an extra tablespoon if your apples are very tart)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice (or orange juice)

2 tablespoons calvados or cognac (sub orange or lemon juice, but the boozy version is really delicious)

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup homemade cranberry jam/relish at room temperature. Use this recipe if you like, but don’t mash the berries. You want lots of whole berries (or use 2/4 cup fresh, whole cranberries mixed with about a 1/4 cup of mashed sauce).

For the Sugar-Coated Glaze:

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

Pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons raw cane sugar

 

Make the galette dough (do this at least a couple of hours ahead of baking, or the night before):

Measure the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor with the dough blade attached. Pulse to blend. Cut the butter into 12-16 small pieces and scatter across the dry ingredients. Pulse to cut the butter into the flour. Continue pulsing in short bursts until the mixture morphs from a mealy looking mix to pea and cornflake sized bits. Add a tablespoon or so of ice water to the mix and pulse briefly. Repeat, adding ice water by the tablespoon and pulsing in short bursts. Once all ice water is incorporated, pulse in slightly longer bursts until lumps form. Test to see if the dough holds together when you pinch it. You don’t want to overwork it. Add more water if a bit dry or a little more flour if it seems too wet. Rinse your hands in cold water and dry. Turn the lumpy dough out onto a floured surface and work it a bit with the heel of your palm to be sure all butter is blended, and then quickly form a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and press down a bit until if forms a hockey-puck-like disk. Refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 20 minutes (best to wait an hour). It will hold in plastic wrap for a couple of days if you want to work ahead. You can also freeze the dough in an airtight bag.

Bring the dough out to a lightly floured work surface (if you’d like to make cookie-cut-out topping, as I have, slice off 1/4 of the dough now)  I like turn the dough out on a large piece of parchment paper, roll it out, and then bake the galette right on that same sheet of paper. Using a large rolling pin, form a 12-13″ circle about 1/8″ thick, working outward from the center of the disk, not back and forth. The edges need not be neat or perfect. Galettes seem prettiest to me when they are a little uneven. Slide galette, on the parchment paper, onto a baking sheet. If you are making cookie cut-outs, roll out the remaining dough, forming a rectangular strip (about 1/8″ thick or so), and cut out your cookie shapes. Place them on the parchment-covered baking sheet next to the galette dough and cover the entire thing with parchment or plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for an hour or overnight.

To make the fruit filling:

Core, peel and slice the apples. On medium-low heat, melt the butter in a large (10-12″ or so), saucepan with high sides (a lodge, cast-iron skillet works too). Add the raw cane sugar, salt, cinnamon, juice, zest and calvados/cognac (if using). Blend well. Add the apples, raise the heat to medium high and bring to a boil for a minute. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 more minutes. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir to blend completely. Simmer the filling for about 3 more minutes or until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat and stir in the cranberry jam mixture (including whole cranberries if using). Set aside to cool (you can leave it in the pan for now as long as it is off the heat).

To assemble the galette:

Bring the chilled, prepared galette dough out to your work surface and let it reach room temperature (this may take 10-15 minutes, especially if you have refrigerated overnight). Carefully spoon the cooled fruit filling into the center of the dough and evenly spread the mixture to within 2 -2 1/2″ of the edge. Fold and lightly press the sides of the galette up and over the apple-cranberry filling. Distribute the cookie cut out dough in your desired pattern (if using). Cover the galette with a sheet of parchment paper and place the entire thing in the fridge for about 20 minutes. This is important to set the filling and help maintain the galette’s shape.

Set an oven rack on a lower shelf and preheat to 400° F. 

While the oven is preheating, and the galette is chilling, make the glaze.

To make the glaze:

Whisk the egg, salt and milk together in a small bowl. Measure out 2 tablespoon of raw cane sugar.

To bake the galette:

Remove the chilled galette from the refrigerator and quickly brush egg mixture on all dough surfaces. Sprinkle the entire galette (including exposed fruit and sides of the dough), with raw can sugar and slide the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles (you will smell the apple-cranberry mix, for sure!).

Allow the galette to cool completely before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. This tart is delicious plain, however, you can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche if you like. Enjoy!

The Best Part of Fall and Winter? In My Opinion? It’s the Apple Galettes & Pies! 

…

Article and Images copyright Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden, all rights reserved. All content on this site (with noted exceptions), is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used, reproduced or reposted elsewhere without written consent.

Do you enjoy visiting The Gardener’s Eden? You can help support this site by shopping through the affiliate-links here. A small percentage of each sale will be paid to The Gardener’s Eden, and will help with site maintenance and web hosting costs. Thank you!

.