Felicity Cloake has perfected the art of the apricot galette, a rustic free-form tart that requires no tin and celebrates seasonal fruit. This recipe, featuring a rich shortcrust pastry, a homemade frangipane, and juicy apricots, delivers a dessert that is both elegant and effortless. With a prep time of 50 minutes and a total chill and bake time of about 2 hours, it serves eight and is best enjoyed on the day it's made.
The Galette: A Versatile Classic
The galette, named for its resemblance to a pebble, takes many forms, from Breton buckwheat pancakes to the frangipane-filled galette des rois of Epiphany. However, the English-speaking internet often refers to a charmingly rustic, free-form tart that doesn't require a tin. This style, popularized by Alice Waters at Chez Panisse, has become a favorite for its simplicity and adaptability, working with whatever fruit is in season.
In her quest for the perfect recipe, Cloake explores various pastry options, including rich shortcrust and rough puff. She notes that because a galette has a small amount of pastry per portion, it can afford to be richer. Ultimately, she opts for a rich, flaky shortcrust, based on a formula from Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh's 'Sweet', which includes cream cheese for tenderness and a hint of wholemeal flour for flavor.
Pastry Perfection: Tips and Techniques
Cloake emphasizes the importance of keeping ingredients cold, especially in summer. The pastry should be chilled before filling and before baking to prevent leaks and sogginess. She also advises using a food processor for ease, but notes that the dough should just come together, with visible chunks of butter for flakiness.
For the filling, Cloake recommends a frangipane made with roasted almonds, which adds richness and helps absorb fruit juices. She also suggests sprinkling cornflour and sugar over the frangipane to thicken the juices further. The fruit, preferably apricots, are halved and arranged skin-side up, then the pastry rim is folded over to create a rustic edge.
Choosing and Preparing the Fruit
While apples and pears make beautiful galettes, Cloake prefers stone fruits like apricots for their juicy generosity. She notes that drier fruits may look prettier but are less satisfying. To manage juices, she follows the advice of pastry chef Sarah Johnson, who recommends adding sugar gradually during baking rather than macerating beforehand, to preserve fruit shape and prevent leaks.
Cloake also discusses the 'moon dust' layer used at Chez Panisse, a mixture of flour, almond meal, sugar, and crushed amaretti cookies, which acts as a barrier between fruit and pastry. In her recipe, she uses a frangipane instead, but acknowledges the effectiveness of moon dust for particularly juicy fruits.
The Final Touches: Glaze and Garnish
After baking, the galette is brushed with warm apricot jam for a glossy finish, and sprinkled with chopped roasted almonds. This not only enhances the appearance but also adds a delightful crunch. Cloake notes that while some recipes forgo a glaze, it's an easy way to give a professional look to a rustic tart.
This apricot galette is best served warm, about 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven, when the pastry is crisp and the fruit is tender. It can be made ahead by preparing the components separately and assembling just before baking.
Step-by-Step Recipe
For the Pastry
- 125g cold butter, cut into 2cm cubes
- 120g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 60g wholemeal plain flour
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- ⅛ tsp baking powder
- 80g full-fat cream cheese
For the Filling
- 100g skin-on almonds
- 50g caster sugar
- 20g plain flour
- 30g butter, softened
- A pinch of salt
- 1 egg, beaten
For the Topping
- 650g apricots or other stone fruit
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp smooth apricot jam
Method
- Freeze the butter for at least an hour. Mix flours, salt, and baking powder in a bowl, and freeze too.
- In a food processor, pulse the flours with cream cheese, then add butter and pulse until coarse crumbs with some larger butter chunks. Add iced water gradually until the dough just comes together. Press into a disc, wrap, and chill for at least 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/gas 6. Roast almonds for 12 minutes. Once cool, chop roughly, set aside 10g, and blitz the rest to a powder. Mix with sugar, flour, butter, salt, and enough egg to form a paste.
- Roll out the dough on a floured baking paper to a 32cm circle. Transfer to a baking sheet and chill.
- Halve apricots and remove stones. If large, quarter.
- Trim pastry edge, draw a 25cm circle in the center. Spread frangipane, scatter with cornflour and 1 tbsp sugar. Arrange apricots skin-side up.
- Fold pastry rim over the fruit, crimping slightly. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Heat oven and a baking sheet to 200°C/180°C fan. Brush pastry with beaten egg. Slide tart onto hot sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then scatter with remaining sugar. Bake for 30 more minutes until golden.
- Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then brush with warm jam and sprinkle with reserved nuts.
Whether you call it a galette or a tart, this recipe is a testament to the beauty of simple, seasonal baking. As Cloake notes, the key to success is keeping everything cold, managing fruit juices, and not overworking the dough. With these tips, you'll create a dessert that's both rustic and refined.
