Blackberry Galette
Jennifer Mejia
I said it last week, and I'll say it again. I'm all about the berries once the weather gets warmer. Last summer, my kids and I picked almost every berry—first strawberries, then blackberries, and finally raspberries. They’re ripe for picking in that order, at least in the New York area. There was something about remembering those little hands working so hard and seeing the pride in their faces that made the desserts we created taste that much better.
This galette is one of the simplest berry desserts you can make, and its shape is beautiful, even when imperfect! Like the picking, something about its handcrafted look makes it one of my favorites. You can actually use any berry, or better yet, a mixture of berries. This yields enough dough for two galettes, but you could also use the other half for a quiche, or freeze it, if you're only preparing one dessert.
SERVES 4-6
4 cups fresh blackberries or a mixture of berries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2- 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/8 cups (2 sticks + 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup ice water
to taste fresh mint for garnish
In a glass bowl, lightly toss the berries with 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, and lemon juice to coat. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, and salt and pulse briefly. Scatter the butter on top of the flour mixture and pulse until it forms coarse crumbs about the size of peas. Drizzle the water over the mixture and pulse until it comes together. (You may need to stop and adjust the dough periodically.)
With floured hands, remove the dough from the food processor, place on a well-floured surface, and form it into a symmetrical log. Cut the dough in half and use only one portion.
Form the portion you are using into a ball. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to form a 13-inch diameter circle.
Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and unroll onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Spoon the berry filling onto the dough, leaving a 2-inch border around the entire edge. Fold the edge up and over the filling, forming loose pleats.
Bake for about 25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Carefully transfer (I use a wooden pizza spatula) the galette to a wooden cutting board or other surface to cool further. Cut into wedges. I like to sprinkle it with confectioners sugar and/or top with vanilla ice cream for serving. Add fresh mint for garnish if desired (I love fresh mint with berries!)