You’ll love how easy it is to make a galette, a rustic French pastry, which essentially a free-from pie. Italian cuisine has their own version as well: a crostini. Either way, a galette is easy to make and you can throw in whatever you like, bake it, and you have a meal or a dessert. With apple season here, it’s the perfect time to make an apple galette. If you like figs, however, you may like this fig galette.

How to Make an Apple Galette

Make the Galette Dough

I used to be nervous to make pastry dough, thinking I couldn’t do it. But making dough for a galette is truly so easy to do that you’ll wonder why you don’t make it more often. Since I’ve never made dough for a galette I used this galette dough recipe from Kroll’s Korner. But I am adding it here, too.

You can use a food processor like this one though I used my KitchenAid mixer (with the flat beater attachment), which worked just as well.

Makes enough for 1 galette

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur All-Purpose)
1 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter
4-5 Tbsp. ice cold water
1 egg, whisked with a tablespoon of cream or whole milk (to be used once you’re ready to bake the galette)

Pour the flour, sugar and salt in the food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Add in cubed butter and pulse again until butter pieces are the size of peas.

Slowly stream in the ice water, 3-4 Tbsp. should be enough for the dough to come together. 5 Tbsp. water max.Remove the dough from the food processor and place on a clean, floured surface. Roll/form the dough into a ball and slightly flatten into a disk.

Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes – 1 hour (longer is okay, too)

Prepare the Apples

3-4 apples, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup of brown sugar (light or dark)
1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla (I use Neilsen-Massey)
the zest of 1 lemon
the juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon of corn starch

You can make this while the dough is in the refrigerator. Peel and slice the apples, then set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, stirring until combined, then add the apples and stir. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to make the galette.

Make the Galette

1 tablespoon of sliced almonds (optional)

Once the dough is chilled and you’re ready to make the galette, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Mend any cracks or tears by pressing them back together with your fingers.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the flattened dough onto the rolling pin so you can transfer it onto the baking sheet. Lay the apples slices into the center of the dough. You can make a pattern (like my daughter did when she helped me) or just in a pile. Add the remaining sauce to the apples then take the outer edges and fold them over the apples, about 1/2-1 inch.

Brush the outer edges of the dough with the egg. Add almond slices to the edges if you like (though this is optional).

Bake in the oven for about 40-45  minutes, or until edges are crisp. Remove form oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.

Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or a dollop of sour cream sweetened with powdered sugar. You may also want to toss additional almonds over the galette for added crunch.