Apricot and Almond Galettes

Almond and apricot galettes are made using the same butter, flaky dough as croissants.

These pastries are like sweet, buttery, yeasty freeform tarts, and they’re favorites at French pâtisseries and boulangeries. Once you’ve got your dough, they’re easy to make.

This scrumptious French galette recipe comes from an amazing cookbook called 200 Fast and Easy Artisan Breads: No-Knead, One Bowl by Judith Fertig.

You can find our review of the cookbook here.

We in North America are often not used to French recipes, with their more involved techniques.

It can be time consuming to make something like this, but you can see from the recipe that it can be done in stages over a few days.

If you are a real lover of those flaky sweet French pastries, I think you will definitely fine the effort worth it. Just look at them. Don't they make you want to start right now?

Note: You will need both a broiler pan and a baking stone for this recipe.

Apricot and Almond Galette Recipe

Cook time: 20 minutes

12 fresh apricots, halved (or 24 canned 12 apricot halves, drained)
1/2 cup (125 mL) white, dark or spiced rum
1/2 recipe prepared Buttery Yeast Dough (as used in our Croissants recipe)
Unbleached all-purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water
1/4 cup (50 mL) heavy or whipping (35%) cream
1/4 cup (50 mL) raw or turbinado sugar crystals or pearl sugar
1/4 cup (50 mL) sliced almonds
2 cups (500 mL) hot water

1. Combine. In a bowl, combine apricots and rum; let stand for 30 minutes, then drain and pat apricots dry. Reserve the rum for another use.

2. Form. Place dough on a generously floured surface and dust very lightly with flour. Flour your hands and the rolling pin. Roll out the dough to a 16- by 8-inch (40 by 20 cm) rectangle. The dough should feel cold, firm and smooth all over, but not at all sticky. With a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the dough into 4-inch (10 cm) squares.

3. Chill or rise. Place the squares 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or let rise in a warm (72°F/22°C) place for 2 hours or until about doubled in size. (If chilling first, let the galettes come to room temperature, then let rise.)

4. Prepare the oven for artisan baking. About 30 minutes before baking, place the broiler pan on the lower shelf and the baking stone on the middle shelf of the oven.

Preheat to 425°F (220°C).

5. Add topping. Brush the pastry squares with egg wash. Place 3 apricot halves, cut side down, in the center of each square. Brush the apricots with cream and sprinkle with raw sugar and almonds.

6. Place baking sheet on baking stone and add water to broiler pan. Using an oven mitt, carefully pull the middle rack of the oven out several inches. Place the baking sheet on the hot stone. Push the middle rack back in place. Pull the lower rack out, pour the hot water into the broiler pan and push the lower rack back in place. Close the oven door immediately so the steam will envelop the oven.

7. Bake. Bake for 8 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool on pan. Enjoy right away or let cool, wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

Makes 8 galettes

Tip: When making French pastry, it is very important to keep laminated doughs cold, so the butter layers stay intact. Use a marble pastry work surface, if possible, and work in a cool room. Only keep the dough at warm room temperature during the final rise.