Apple Galette

Autumn=Apples. Autumn+Apples=Awesome.

Apples have always been my favorite fruit. They are delicious snacks and healthy too. Biting into a crunchy, juicy apple or munching on dried apple chips are both very satisfying. Baking with apples also has a special place in my heart. I have so many recipes with apples, I should definitely have an apple orchard planned for my future.

This delicious Apple Galette is a recipe from my favorite and most reliable source, America’s Test Kitchen, and the technique borrowed from the French. The thin, golden crust is soft and has a tender and flaky texture. However, it’s still is firm enough to hold up all apple slices that are piled on top in a gorgeous diagonal pattern.  

Place the all purpose flour, instant flour, salt and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in a food processor and give it a whirl.

If you’re wondering what instant flour is, where you can buy it or why you would use it in this recipe, I’ve got the answers. Instant flour creates a more tender crust than if you use only all-purpose flour. The tart crust turns out tender and flaky, but sturdy enough to hold all those wonderful slices of apple without falling apart. You can buy instant flour in any grocery store in the baking aisle. If you absolutely don’t want to splurge the $2.54 for the instant flour, you can use 2 cups of all purpose flour and 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch. You might need to add more ice water though.

Cut the butter into chunks and place it in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. Add to the food processor and pulse a few times, until the chunks of butter are cut in throughout the dough in pebble size pieces. Add the icy water, 1 Tablespoon at a time. You definitely don’t want to add too much water, or the crust will be stiff, hard and won’t have the tender, flaky texture that you’re aiming for.  It should look crumbly and loose, but when you pinch it with your fingers, it stays together. That’s it. Don’t be tempted to add more. Dump it out on the counter and sort of form a rectangular shape. Starting at the end away from you, use the palm of your hand to rub the dough against the counter a small section at a time, until you come to the dough closest to you.

Start at the beginning and do this one more time.

This is a French pastry method called frasaige. It sounds fancy but only takes a minute to do. Making the dough this way is a great way to make sure that you don’t overwork the dough.

Form a square or rectangular shape, about 4 inches, wrap the dough in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes – 1 hour.

As the dough gets cold, the small chunks of butter will get chilled also. The dough is much more manageable to roll out too. When the tart bakes, the small chilled bits of butter will melt and puff up the dough. This is the magic that creates a beautiful, flaky and tender crust.

You can make the dough ahead of time and keep it well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it thaw slightly for 5-10 minutes, just so it’s soft enough to roll out. Cut a parchment paper into a 16×12 inch rectangle. Flour the parchment paper, and roll out the dough right over top of the parchment paper.

When you have rolled out the dough until it extends beyond the parchment paper just a bit, cut off the excess dough. You will have a perfect rectangle. Pick up the parchment paper and transfer the dough onto a rimmed baking sheet. Since you rolled out the dough right on the parchment paper, you don’t have to worry about the thin dough ripping when you try to move it over to the baking sheet to bake. Fold the edges of the dough over to create a thin frame around the tart.

Prep the apples by peeling them, coring them and cutting into 1/8 inch thick slices. Starting in a corner, place the apples on a diagonal, on top of the dough. Place the apple slices so they cover the top apple slices about halfway. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of sugar. Cut the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter into small chunks and sprinkle the butter over the apples too. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Melt the apple jelly in the microwave just until it softens and melts. Use a pastry brush to brush the melted apple jelly over the apples. This will create a pretty glaze to the top of the apple galette and make it look like it came out of a prestigious bakery. Enjoy with some ice cream or whipped cream.