I’m no accomplished baker, this is my humble attempt at an apple galette. I “ooh and ahh” at other bloggers’ baked delights. Sure, I can make a chocolate chip cookie (well, who can’t) and brownies and the like. However, I scare away from sophisticated desserts. I shouldn’t though, with enough practice I think I could muster up something half-way decent. I also have another excuse-Autumn. If you don’t bake during this season, I’m sorry to say it, but you are pretty lame. Jokes aside, something in the crisp fall air draws some inner baker out of me and has me craving all things warm, comforting, and gooey.
Apples are just that-warm and comforting. They remind me of simpler times when hayrides and apple cider were enough to lift one’s spirits. I take that back, maybe they are even today. I like to knock down my “rural” roots and pretend I am a city girl, because that’s where I feel I belong. Yet, I have ended up in small-town Canada (hopefully, not for much longer). As much as I love cities, the charm in a small place is undeniable. I have sweet grannies living in my building, always smiling and sharing in small talk. In my apartment building hallway, I get wafts of sweet aromas of sugar, spice, and everything nice.
As I do every Autumn, I went crazy with apple buying. I had lofty plans to make this and that, but I only ended up with this apple galette, so far. As I mentioned earlier, I need to expand my baking repertoire. I was proud of my galette, the dough wasn’t rock hard after being baked, that is my most common problem. It was soft and flaky, perhaps I didn’t overmix. No matter where your home is, I don’t know what gets more comforting and homey than an apple dessert. This is something global, something that you could bring to anyone, anywhere and they would enjoy it. And even the people who say they aren’t dessert people will be asking for seconds.
Apple, Pecan, and Crème Fraîche Galette
Serves 6
for the galette dough: (slightly adapted from David Lebovitz via Simply Recipes, I halved the recipe)
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel
4 ounces (8 tablespoons) of butter, chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes
2.5 ounces ice water
Method
Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl and transfer them to the food processor. Add the butter into the food processor until you get pea sized lumps of flour. Next, stream in the water until the dough just forms. Tranfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead very lightly until it just comes together into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. After the dough has chilled roll it out in between two pieces of parchment paper into a 13″ by 11″ circular shape, it doesn’t have to be perfect because this galette is very rustic. Transfer the rolled out dough onto a baking tray covered in parchment paper and into the fridge until ready for assembly.
for the filling:
Ingredients
2 tablespoons apricot jam
3 cups honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4″ slices
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice, fresh is best
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons Demerara sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
pinch of salt
1/4 cup whole pecans
2 tablespoons of butter, cut up into small pieces
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of milk for eggwash
Method
While the dough is chilling, you can make the filling. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, but only use 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and don’t add in the pecans, butter, or eggwash. The remaining brown sugar is for sprinkling over top. Allow the apple mixture to marinate for 30-45 minutes in the refrigerator.
to make to galette:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lay the apples over the rolled-out dough leaving a 2-3″ border. The apple may have leached some liquid, only spoon over up to 1/4 cup of the liquid onto the dough, we don’t want it to become soggy. Roll up the sides of the dough in a rustic fashion, pinching the dough into place-this does not have to be perfect. Assemble the pecans over the apples and sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar and dab the butter on top of the apples. Brush the exposed galette dough with the eggwash. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes and then reduce the heat to 375 degrees for an additional 20-25 minutes. The crust should be light golden brown when done. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or à la mode.
Loved reading the post 🙂 I too think I’m a big city girl but being here I miss the small place I come from. In my books the rule is to spend a month atleast in a small town with some kind of rural set up.Makes u feel grounded, realize where u come from and what you have achieved in life!
Besides I think you are fabulous baker 🙂 that Galette looks beautiful. Apples are one fruit I can have any season!
Thanks, Kulsum. You are right, small places put things into perspective, but big cities are more fun!!! 😛
gorgeous pics. i dont even know anyone in my building- you are lucky! enjoy it, you will miss it. lovely dessert- can i come over? x shayma
Thanks, shayma. hehe, I will probably miss it when I come across rude ppl in TO. You don’t need an invitation to come over, just tell me when! 😀
Your galette looks lovely and so comfortingly delish. Your post makes me long for a weekend in a small town 🙂
Thanks, Bria! hehe maybe you can get away from the big city and come visit me in my small town!
Looks great! Baking is fun and you will get more comfortable with it the more practice you get 🙂
Thanks, Victoria. You’re right, practice makes perfect!
Gosh, I feel like having a piece of this Apple Gallette right now! Looks sooo good!
Thanks, Sara, wish I could have you over!!!
hi nadia, you made a gorgeous gallete. thank you for visiting my blog. have a nice weekend.
Thanks so much!
Looks delicious — I love crème fraîche!
Another tasty and simple French dessert you might wanna try is clafloutis, which can also be made with apples and served with crème fraîche. 😉
Thanks, Christine, I love clafoutis. I’ve never made it but I’d love to give it a try!
Love Love Love the first and last pics…so beautiful! I love your modesty of putting up beautifully baked goodies & calling it a humble attempt…how cute 🙂
Now that I adore apples this post is all the more gorgeous for me!
awww thanks, Tanvi, you’re really sweet!
this apple galette is all that I would need to be happy about Fall; it is warm and inviting and just sweet enough; love the pecans too.
Just where is Fall? No matter where I happen to be Lebanon, now Dallas it is still too warm!
Thanks so much, Joumana. Hope the weather is cooling down a bit now.
Your galette looks quite sophisticated, and yet comforting and mellow all at once. I like the last shot of it the most, I can just imagine grabbing a fork to take a bite…
Thanks so much, Joyti! Wish I could have you over for some!
You are far too humble Nadia because you ARE an accomplished baker! This is amazing and would definitely give the galettes I’ve seen in Paris some serious competition.
I agree that fall is the best time to bake! Luckily I am not lame as I do bake during autumn! 🙂
hehe thanks, Ameena. But, I’m really not that great, I’ve had several mishaps!
I love galettes too, Nadia. They are rustic, free form and yummy.
Thanks so much, Nirmala!
This is a visual delight! Perfect for the Fall days.
Thanks so much, love the fall!
yummmmm just saw this! love it
thanksssss
Your galette is beautiful…I agree, apples and Autumn are a pair that are pretty universal…Plus, I can’t bake chocolate chip cookies,lol
hehe thanks, you make such beautiful dishes, I’m sure you’re way beyondddd choc chip cookies!
This looks and sounds fantastic! Beautiful photos!
Thanks for stopping by my blog and for the kind comment!
Thanks so much, Dimah. I am so happy to have found your site!
This is so mouth watering, I cant stop staring at those photos! I would definitely try this out.
Raymund
http://angsarap.wordpress.com
aw thanks for your nice comments!