A Rustic Pear Galette
My, oh, my, if you try out one new pastry-type dessert this fall let it be this Pear Galette. The fam loved it so much I couldn’t get a photo of it baked because it disappeared in minutes.The hubs even left me a little sticky note next to it that said, “Wow!” What more can I say?
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
3-4 tablespoons ice water
4 firm-ripe Bartlett pears
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Optional:
Egg wash- 1 egg white lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Turbinado/coarse sugar
Start by making your dough. No, no, don’t go buy store-bought. You can do this. So easy. Put your flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor. Whisk or pulse a couple times to combine.
Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, quickly work the butter into your flour until it begins to look like cornmeal with a few peas-sized butter pieces sprinkled throughout. If using a food processor, pulse for about 10 seconds to get the same effect.
Pour your water in one tablespoon at a time, working it into your dough just until the dough holds together. If using a food processor, slowly pour your water through the feed tube with the machine running just until the dough holds together, but not for more than 30 seconds.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it until it all comes together in a ball.
Slightly flatten the ball into a disk. Wrap in parchment paper, put in an airtight bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Then, take care of those luscious pears. Peel them, core them and cut them into thick slices. In a large bowl, using a rubber spatula, gently combine your pears with the brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take your dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it’s about a 14-inch circle.
Carefully lift it and set it on parchment paper on your cookie sheet.
Arrange your pears over the dough, leaving about a 2 inch border. You can toss out any juices that accumulated in the bowl.
Gently fold the dough over the edge of the pear filling. There is no right way to do this that is why it is rustic.
If you want your dough to have a finished look to it, brush the edge of the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Carefully slide the whole concoction onto a rack in the middle of your oven. Bake until the crust is a beautiful golden brown, the pear are soft and your whole house smells like fall, about 50 minutes.
If you can wait, let it cool a bit. Then, slice it into wedges and let your friends and family eat it like a piece of pizza…only better. Enjoy.
YIELD: One pear galette
Yes! Bring me that six year old! Seriously, I have every single love note ever written by my kids. It helps to re-read them periodically. I just read some last night as I was putting away Christmas cards – from last Christmas!! Love the new photos of you, friend!
Ah, the love notes….probably the beat part. Well, that along with the snuggling.
Bummer I couldn’t make the blogger meet-up yesterday. Next month…
Oh, looks lovely, and I have pears at the ready. I have a chick flying the nest next year as well, you can see some of the tales of our college visits as splendid market. I’m not sure how to deal with it, and my daughter is not far behind. I continue to promote MAMA U….but I don’t think he is going to apply.
MAMA U….good idea! Although I wonder if they would commit to a 10pm curfew at that age? I do need my sleep after all. 🙂
Sweet, sweet post. Describes my two 6 year olds to a T! Right down to the love notes and LEGOS 🙂
Planted daffodils with your SIL here in CT this morning. She told me to check your post and the website for the photographer. My 6 year old twins are buds with her little Katie. Your post just made me miss them so badly and can’t wait to get them off the bus 🙂
That sister-in-law of mine…so good out planting daffodils. Tell her when she’s done there she can fly out and do my yard next. I’m heading down to volunteer in my 6-year-old’s classroom. Can’t wait! He gets so excited to have me there. So so sweet those 6-year-olds!!
You’re killing me. Maybe I should try to create a “bottle up you kiddos now” device.
Definitely “bottle up” the best parts or at least save the love notes. They don’t do those things forever. Such a bummer….
oh i love this… my nephews filled my cup with wee boy love as they grew.. and i am so grateful to have had that time… i can’t even imagine being a mama and having your oldest getting ready to unfurl. but thinking a hug might help. *hug* : )
Thanks for the hug, my dear Heaven! *sigh….*
SO well said, Carrie! And as I sat in the kitchen early this morning reading your post, my sleepy little 6 yr old came down in her cozy jammies and snuggled right up in my lap and studied each and every photo of her cousins. We are beyond lucky to have them. And we will have beyond heavy hearts watching them move on and out. Time for you to get that goldie puppy is now.
Oh man….the cozy jammies. I forgot those! They kill me I love them so much. Give your sweet little 6-year-old an extra hug from Aunt Carrie. We miss you all so much!! PS: Not sure if we can get the goldie puppy past the Rooster.
Your little man is adorable. So sweet. I love that age! Makin’ me a bit weepy too.
Wish I could just bottle bits of him up so when he’s a teenager and thinks of me as his personal chauffeur, I can take his 6-year-old self out and hug him!
Carrie, what a wonderful post! So, how DO you divide 10 apples between 11 people???
Well, Karen, most days the 6-year-old will say that the answer to that question is…..make applesauce but now that he tells it so often he’s starting to include answers like make apple juice, make apple pie, and so on. He practically skips through the house just calling out that joke still so pleased with himself how it trips people up the first time they hear it because of course, most of us are thinking….”ok if I divide 10 of the apples in half and then….hmmm, wait, if I divide 10 apples into thirds….hmmm….” or at least, that is what I was thinking. 🙂
Love how you captured six year olds. Today was picture day at school and I can’t wait to my six year old’s gapped toothed picture. I must say my 9-year old is giving her sister a run for the money in the sweetness department, however.
Ahh…those 9-year-olds…they are a good bunch too!
oh thank you sweet and lovely one! i read all the six year old love and didn’t even see the shout out. you are a delight to photograph and yeuuup! bring on the furries.. 🙂 thanks friend.
I still get running/jumping hugs goodbye from both girls (13 & 10) every morning before they load into the car for school. The oldest one is starting to realize that its not going to last much longer without serious injury to poor old Dad!!
Ahhh…Brant, I love that!! I’d go ahead and take the injuries just to keep the hugs coming.