Keep a disc of this pastry in the freezer, and dessert is simplified
Much simpler than a pie, a galette is easier and more forgiving. You have only one layer of dough, flat on a sheet, filled, then the edges turned up. It is rustic, lovely to look at, and dessert can be made in a snap. I had two hours notice recently that company was coming, so I pulled the dough out of the freezer, worked on dinner, then prepped the filling. I popped this in the oven just before they arrived. It was a perfect dessert.
A easy dough!
The dough I’ve used is forgiving as well. A basic butter and shortening dough with the addition of vinegar and an egg. The egg keeps everything easy to work, the butter adds tons of flavor, and the shortening and vinegar help in keeping the pastry flaky. Mom knew what she was doing when she used both butter and shortening, although often it was lard in its place. She always had pie crusts tucked in the freezer for a quick tart or little tartlets, always left over from a recipe or made to stash. In a pinch, she might just sprinkle the dough with cinnamon and sugar and cut into little shapes, or spread with jam and make little filled treats.
You can use dairy butter or vegan butter in this pastry. Look for an organic shortening like Spectrum which is not hydrogenated, so no trans fats or GMOs.
A treat with a few redeeming qualities
My mom would have used all white flour, but I’ve added the white whole wheat because it adds a bit of a nutty flavor and fiber. The dough is flakey and tender, and by using golden delicious apples, the filling is plenty sweet with minimal sugar. I’m not pretending this is health food by any means, but if I can slip a little whole grain in a treat and avoid the saturated fat, while not sacrificing flavor, I will make the adjustments.
Let the flavor of the apples shine
This recipe allows the apples to shine with minimal spicing, just a pinch of cinnamon and cardamom. You can use more if you like!
So much is possible, you can use just about any fruit in this dessert, think peaches in season, pears when they are juicy and delicious, cherries, plums, or a mixture of everything good. It’s as easy as, well, you know.
Apple Galette with Whole Wheat Crust
Whole Wheat and Egg Pastry:
- 1 cup unbleached white flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour, or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tbsp. white sugar if making a sweet pie, or omit
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter or vegan butter, cubed and chilled
- 6 tbsp. non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening, chilled
- 3 tbsp. ice water
- 1 large local egg, beaten
- 2 tsp. white or cider vinegar
In a large bowl, mix together the flours, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and shortening and mix with a pastry blender or your fingers, preferred method. Feel that dough! You want a crumbly mixture, but don’t overwork. A few larger blobs of butter are fine.
In a cup, combine the water, egg, and vinegar and beat well. Add to the flour and use your hands to lift through the dough and combine the wet and dry. No need to stir, just sift your fingers through until it starts to come together, then turn out onto the counter and gently bring all the edges up and pat into a disc. Cut in two, and gently shape each into a disc. Wrap one well for the freezer and refrigerate the other for at least a half hour. One for today, and one for another.
While the dough is chilling, make the filling.
- 2 large or 3 medium Golden Delicious apples
- Flour for dusting
- 2 tbsp. apple brandy (Calvados) or dark rum (Meyers)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp. white sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp. each cinnamon and cardamom
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- Apricot jam to glaze
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Peel and core the apples and slice into 16 or 20 slices each and very lightly dust with flour, shaking off the excess in a mesh strainer. Arrange on the crust, leaving a 1 ½-inch border to fold over later. Sprinkle the apples evenly with the brandy, vanilla, sugar, salt, and spices, then dot with the butter.
Fold the edges up over the sides, making little pleats where necessary. Make a egg wash with a beaten egg thinned with a teaspoon of water and brush over the crust. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust lightly browned.
Glaze with a bit of apricot jam you have warmed in the microwave, not necessary, but pretty.
Sylvia’s butter and lard crust
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 stick butter or oleo
- 6 tbsp. lard or Crisco
- Water
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp. white vinegar
Mix flour, sugar, and salt, and add the butter and lard and mix with a fork. Mix egg, vinegar, and a little water and sprinkle over. Add water to make a dough.
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Absolutely delicious 😋 I love the desserts that you can do easily with whatever you have in your pantry 😉
Thanks Ribana! It is an easy and fun dessert, especially if you have the dough on hand!
Love the rustic appeal and ease of a galette
I find people who are intimidated making pie, have fun making a galette!
Absolutely
A delicious looking recipe. It makes me long for France.
Ah, France right now would be beautiful! We’re getting more snow tonight, so I’m baking bread today!
Delicious looking dessert and I love the crust recipe.
Thanks Jovina! It’s a really good dough, forgiving, flakey, and tasty! Even without the lard!
Beautiful to look at and delicious to eat I’m sure on these cold snowy days we’re having. Your company were lucky folks.
We finally have lots of snow, so I suspect I’ll see a few more of our down country friends!
Dorothy, there’s nothing better than a flaky crust….unless it’s brandy-soaked apples. 🍃🍎🥧
A pair made for each other! 👯♀️
You can say that again. 💜🍃☮️
Looks absolutely scrumptious!! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you! It’s pretty tasty!
I love to make galettes, so easy and so good! This sounds wonderful!
Thank you Jenna! Everyone enjoys making these!
Looks and sounds delicious! Looking forward to making it 😋
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Love the flaky crust! And those brandy spiked apples sound quite tempting!
Thanks Jan! The Calvados add a little special zing to the tart, but if you use rum it is tasty as well!
Nothing beats a good apple pie/galette. Love the addition of calvados to the apples. Lucky guests! 🙂
I totally agree! We savored the tart, and the rest was sliced really thin at breakfast the next morning!
You know how much I love an apple galette! I’m going to try your whole wheat crust. Thank you for the recipe and inspiration!
Thanks Angela! We do love those apple creations! I hope you enjoy the crust as much as we do; let me know.
It looks great! and I like the idea of using both butter and crisco in the crust, plus the whole wheat flour.
Thank you Joni. The combination of butter and shortening seems to be the charm.
Great idea, Dorothy!
Thank you Kara! We are always pleased with this one.
It reminds me a bit of a rustic pizza base the way you pat it out rather than roll it. I have not added vinegar to my pastry before so that is intriguing. I will have to try it.
Mom always added vinegar to all of her pie crust recipes and her crusts were always delicious. She said it make the crusts more flakey. You can also use lemon juice.
“Peel and core the apple.” That line reminded me of the ‘Honeymooner’s’ episode called “Chef of the Future”. Are you familiar with the old Jackie Gleason comedy show? Too funny. Check it out on YouTube.
This looks so yummy! I can see warming a bit up in the micro and adding a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Can you see it, D? YUMMY!! 😋
They had me in stitches! Reminds me of the many gadgets that don’t really do much of anything.
We are of the same mind. At our dinner, a little vanilla ice cream just happened to fall on my plate and the tart was still warm….
Hahaha!! Fancy that! It just slid off the scooper right onto your plate. It was meant to be! 💫
I haven’t made a Galette in years, decades even. I went through a phase with them, often with peaches but apples, too. Sometimes with a handful of red raspberries tossed in. Thanks for the recipe and thanks for reminding me of this delicious dessert.
Thanks Ally! Sometimes, I’ve tossed cranberries in as well, but raspberries, they are the best!
I love a galette, Dorothy! I agree wholeheartedly on putting some whole wheat in the crust. Your apricot glaze at the end sounds like a delightful touch!
Thanks Terrie! The glaze is just the dolling it up jewelry at the end! But worth it!
Apple Galettes are the best! I’ve made a few galettes but not sure if I’ve made apple–I know I’ve made a blueberry galette. I love the idea of using a whole wheat crust–it looks so good!
I’m not seeing my comment show up so I’ll make another one in case it didn’t go thru! 🙂 I love apple galettes and this one looks so good–love that whole wheat crust! 🙂
Thanks Nancy! The crust is really a keeper!
I’ve had some trouble posting this past week as well. Those WP gremlins are afoot!
Yum!!
Why thanks!
As you say Dorothy a lovely Galette is so much more forgiving and easier your looks delicious 🙂 x
Thank you Carol! It’s certainly a go-to dessert in apple season.
I have some beautiful cherries… that’s my plan or maybe a clafoutis the jury’s out-smile
Yum! Cherries!
This looks wonderful. When I made up my own recipes like crust or dough, I always add whole grain flours. It just makes sense to me. What is the vinegar for?
Mom always used it, as did my aunts. I think it is an old time thing, that probably has some little science involved. She said it kept the dough from getting tough, so there is probably a chemical action of some sort.
Anyway, that’s how mom did it, so it’s how I do it!
Yum!
Thank you Tamara! Such a treat!
As you said, Dorothy, this could be one of those recipes to use when surprised with guests coming! Yum! And it looks great, too!
I love the word ‘galette’. Putting it into memory now!
My mom loved the word too Carolyn, and used it to refer to several different little baked treats, including a friend bread dough topped with fruit.
That looks amazing Dorothy, now I have a sweet craving! I love the idea of freezing the pastry for a quick dessert too.
Having a bit of dough in the freezer has saved the day more than once!
That was a good choice. 👍
Thank you!
Looks delicious! And I love the green glass dish!
Thank you! I love the pedestal dish too, everything looks so elegant on it!
Hi Dorothy, this is a delicious sounding recipe. I love apple dishes.
Thank you! Apple desserts are always so comforting and for me they are full of memories.
Can you believe I have never heard of a galette before?! True story. Thanks for opening up a new world for me, Dorothy.
I hope you enjoy this easy new world Christy!