Cherry Galettes

This is the best time of year to buy fruit at the market. Just this weekend, I picked up both sweet and tart cherries, black raspberries, red raspberries, blueberries, and peaches. Yes, I am a glutton. But I just can't help myself. Now we have to figure out what to do with all that fruit.

The raspberries are gone, and we have made a good dent in the cherries and peaches. We'll eat lots  more just as it is, but once in a while it's nice to have something a bit more special. Pies, of course, are one of my favorite ways to feature the fruits of summer, as I have written about before.  Blueberry and peach are hits around here. But these galettes are as easy as pie. Easier than pie, actually, because they only have a bottom crust and it is very easy to work with. They're also incredibly tasty, adding just enough crust to hold the fruit without overpowering the flavor.

This recipe makes small galettes, each only a few bites. It's the perfect size to serve for a summer treat, especially with a scoop of ice cream. If you want to make bigger galettes, though, you can cut it into fewer pieces or double the recipe.

And what would make a more perfect dessert for a Fourth of July picnic than one of these little hand held tarts?

Second helping: Almond Granola

Cherry Galettes

We enjoyed the small size of these galettes, but the recipe can easily be made as one large galette instead. Just roll out the dough in one large piece rather than dividing it and bake it a bit longer, about 40 minutes.

Makes 8 small galettes
45 minutes preparation time
approximately 25 minutes baking time

For the crust:
2 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons ice water
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup semolina flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into a few pieces

For the filling:
1 1/2 cups cherries, pits removed
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons, granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon cold butter

To make the crust, first whisk together the sour cream and water in a small bowl and set it aside. In a larger bowl, mix together the flours, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Add the butter and work it into the flour with your fingers until the mixture has pieces that range in size from small pebbles to grains of sand. Mix in the sour cream with your fingers until the mixture forms a wet dough. Roll the dough into a ball, and flatten it into a disk. Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes or as long as a couple of days.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Prepare the filling by mixing the pitted cherries with the extract, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and lemon zest. When the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and cut it into 8 equal-sized wedges with a sharp knife or a pastry cutter.

Take one wedge and roll it into a ball and then flatten it. Roll it out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface until it is about 5 inches in diameter. Move it onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wedges.

Spoon a heaping tablespoon or so of cherry filling onto each piece of dough, leaving an inch or two border. Fold the edge up over the filling, working around to give the dough a pleated look. Don't worry about making the galettes perfect. Part of their charm is the rustic look.

Brush the edges of the galette with water and sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar over the edges. Bake until the galettes are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, ideally with a scoop of ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.

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Comments

[Oscar]

Sounds good!

[Val]

Those look amazing and tasty plus I love that you made mini galettes instead of one big one.

[Betsy @ zen-mama.com]

Hi Margy! I haven't been by in a while but why not??? I forgot that every recipe you make looks delicious!! I'm going to try the potato salad and the cherry galettes for a French friend coming over this weekend. She will really appreciate it. I'm in the process of putting together a blog roll. You'll definitely be on it!

[Betsy @ zen-mama.com]

I just recommended this recipe on my facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Zen-Mama/173730509427?ref=ts