Cherry Almond Galette

 

About a month ago I mentioned on Insta that I had checked out a book "Baking for 2" at the local Library.  It gave me good ideas on how to cut things down for 2 people or 2-4 servings.  This gives better portion control and not a lot of leftovers.  Desserts are a weekend treat here so I don't need left overs.

This recipe is an amalgamation of a couple of recipes in my repertoire of desserts.  What I like about the galette is that its a free form dessert kind of a cross between a pie and a tart, just no pie plate or tart shell to fight it out with.  Super simple, stupid easy even, to roll out a circle of dough, fill it and flip the edges towards the center.  

Cherry Almond Galette

Pastry 

• 300 grams AP Flour (approx 1 c + 2T) 
• 1/2 t fine sea salt
• 1 T sugar
• 125 grams butter (approx 1 stick butter + 1 T)
• 4 T ice water

Filling

• 12 oz bag frozen sour cherries - thawed
• 1/3 C sugar
• 1 T corn starch
• pinch salt
• 1/4 almond extract
• 1/4 coarse ground almonds
• 2 T sugar (I use the turbinado dark coarse sugar)
• 1 egg beaten

Preheat oven to 400F when you are starting to assemble the galettes.

Combine thawed cherries and all their juices with the sugar, corn starch and salt into a non reactive pan.

Cook over medium heat folding gently until sugar and corn starch are dissolved. Cook over medium low heat just until the filling is translucent and thickened to a syrupy consistency.  Softly fold the mixture with a spatula taking care to NOT mash up the cherries.   Once consistency reached, remove from heat and stir in almond extract.  Cool to room temperature.

While filling cools make the pastry.  In food processor add flour, sugar, and salt.  Pulse a couple of times to combine those dry ingredients.  Add cold butter to mixture, pulse until the butter is covered with flour and about the size of peas.  Add cold water.  Pulse a few times until a dough ball begins to form.  Remove dough and gently combine any crumbs left in the bowl.  Dived into 4 equal balls and flatten each slightly.  Wrap dough in cling film and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

To assemble line a baking sheet with parchment or silpat liner.  Take one ball of dough.  On a floured board roll dough out to an 8" circle.  Place dough onto  lined baking sheet.  Put 1 Tablespoon ground almonds in center and spread gently on dough leaving 1 to 1 1/2 inches border.  Add one quarter of the cooled cherry filling and spread lightly over almonds maintaining the clean border.  Pick up one edge of pastry and fold it up towards center resting on the filling.  Working around the whole galette.  Repeat process with remaining three dough balls.

Once all of the galettes have been assembled.  Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle a quarter of the sugar on the pastry.  Chill in refrigerator until oven is preheated.  Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown and filling is bubbly.  Place the baked pastry on a cooling rack until ready to eat.

Take warm galette and top with some good ice cream or whipped cream.

Cherry Cobbler

Ah...have I mentioned how much I love the old H*E*B Markets here in Texas?  I do, I do, I do.  They are terrific for stocking rare things much better than the local Kroger or not so local Randalls (An Albertson/Safeway outlet).

Allow me to digress a bit.  Growing up in Michigan Mom would swoop in on the "sour cherries" for fresh baked cherry pie.  When we moved to Missouri they were called "pie cherries" and a neighbor allowed us to harvest as much as we wanted in exchange for one of Moms famous cherry pies.  Here at H*E*B they were labeled "Tart Cherries" and were exactly what I've been looking for for years tucked away on a shelf in the frozen fruit section of the frozen foods aisles.  Yahoo....baking time here and Cherry anything is a favorite or my wife and me.

This recipe was created with the help of Moms old handwritten recipe and a cobbler topping I use from time to time.  Here joined together for a dessert my wife insists we work into the regular repertoire. 

Cherry Cobbler

Filling

• 2, 12 oz frozen tart cherries, thawed
• 1/2 C sugar
• 2 T Cornstarch
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1/2 t almond extract
• juice of one lemon 

Topping

• 1½ C all-purpose flour
• ½ C brown sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 C cold butter (cubed)
• 1/4 C chopped walnuts or almonds

Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter an 8X8 baking dish

Combine filling ingredients and and fold gently so as to not break up cherries but sugar is dissolved.  Pour into prepared baking dish.

In a stand mixer with whisk attachment add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Pulse mixer to evenly combine ingredients.  Add cubed butter to dry and turn mixer on medium low.  Allow the butter to be cut into the dry ingredients and it resembles coarse sand, about 5 minutes. Fold in chopped nuts.  Sprinkle topping evenly over the fruit mixture.

Place the baking dish on a sheet tray to catch any boil over.  Bake 40-50 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.  Cool on a wire wrack at least 30 minutes or room temperature.  Add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and enjoy.