Rustic Sour Cherry and Almond Galette
A beautiful, free-form tart featuring a flaky all-butter pastry base smeared with sweet almond frangipane and topped with tart, juicy sour cherries.
Equipment
- Food processor or pastry blender
- Mixing bowls
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Whisk
Ingredients
Pâte Brisée (All-Butter Pastry)
- 1.5 cups All-purpose flour — Plus extra for dusting
- 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 0.5 cup Unsalted butter — Very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons Ice water — May need 1-2 tbsp more
Almond Frangipane
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted butter — Room temperature
- 3 tablespoons Granulated sugar
- 1 whole Large egg — Room temperature
- 0.5 cup Almond flour — Blanched or unblanched
- 0.5 teaspoon Almond extract
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
Sour Cherry Filling
- 3 cups Sour cherries — Pitted. If frozen, do not thaw completely, just separate them.
- 0.33 cup Granulated sugar — Adjust up to 1/2 cup depending on cherry tartness
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch — Crucial for absorbing juices
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice — Freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Finishing
- 1 whole Large egg — Beaten with 1 tsp water for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon Turbinado sugar — For sprinkling on the crust
Pâte Brisée (All-Butter Pastry)
| 1.5 cups | All-purpose flour | Plus extra for dusting |
| 1 tablespoon | Granulated sugar | |
| 0.5 teaspoon | Kosher salt | |
| 0.5 cup | Unsalted butter | Very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes |
| 4 tablespoons | Ice water | May need 1-2 tbsp more |
Almond Frangipane
| 3 tablespoons | Unsalted butter | Room temperature |
| 3 tablespoons | Granulated sugar | |
| 1 whole | Large egg | Room temperature |
| 0.5 cup | Almond flour | Blanched or unblanched |
| 0.5 teaspoon | Almond extract | |
| 1 pinch | Kosher salt |
Sour Cherry Filling
| 3 cups | Sour cherries | Pitted. If frozen, do not thaw completely, just separate them. |
| 0.33 cup | Granulated sugar | Adjust up to 1/2 cup depending on cherry tartness |
| 2 tablespoons | Cornstarch | Crucial for absorbing juices |
| 1 tablespoon | Lemon juice | Freshly squeezed |
| 1 teaspoon | Vanilla extract |
Finishing
| 1 whole | Large egg | Beaten with 1 tsp water for egg wash |
| 1 tablespoon | Turbinado sugar | For sprinkling on the crust |
Instructions
-
Prepare the pastry: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt to combine. Scatter the cold butter cubes over the dry ingredients. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
~5 minIf making by hand, use a pastry blender or your fingertips to quickly cut the butter into the flour. -
Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition. Stop when the dough just begins to clump together. Do not overmix.
~3 minSqueeze a handful of the crumbly dough; if it holds together, it has enough water. -
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, gather it into a cohesive disk, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
~60 minResting the dough relaxes the gluten, ensuring a tender and flaky crust. -
Make the frangipane: In a small bowl, use a fork or whisk to cream the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, then stir in the almond flour, almond extract, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Set aside.
~5 minThe frangipane will act as a sponge to soak up cherry juices, preventing a soggy bottom. -
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a heavy baking sheet or a pizza stone in the oven while it preheats.
~15 minBaking the galette on a preheated surface directly applies heat to the bottom crust, ensuring it cooks thoroughly and stays crisp. -
Prepare the cherry filling: In a medium bowl, gently toss the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until the cherries are coated and no dry spots of cornstarch remain.
~5 minIf using frozen cherries, toss them with the dry ingredients immediately before assembling so they don't release too much juice beforehand. -
On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll the chilled dough disk out into an even 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick.
~5 min -
Spread the frangipane evenly over the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border all the way around. Spoon the cherry filling over the frangipane, leaving most of the excess liquid in the bowl.
~3 min -
Gently fold the edges of the dough up and over the outer rim of the filling, overlapping the folds as you go. Brush the folded dough with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.
~4 min -
Carefully transfer the parchment paper with the galette onto the preheated baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the cherry juices are bubbling vigorously in the center.
~45 minThe bubbling indicates the cornstarch has reached a high enough temperature to thicken the juices. -
Remove from the oven and let the galette cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before sliding the parchment onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.
~10 minCooling is essential for the filling to set so it doesn't run everywhere when sliced.
Tips & Storage
- To avoid a soggy bottom, the two key elements are the frangipane barrier and the preheated baking sheet. Do not skip preheating the pan!
- If your dough gets too warm and sticky while rolling or assembling, slide it onto a flat surface and pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes before proceeding.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of softly whipped cream.
- Storage: Store leftover galette loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes to re-crisp the pastry.