Dessert

Rustic Mixed Berry Galette

By Kkuek Culinary Team | Prep & Cook Time: 1 Hr 20 Mins

A galette is a French free-form tart that offers all the buttery, flaky satisfaction of a traditional pie with half the effort and none of the stress of crimping edges or blind baking. Its beauty lies in its rustic, imperfect nature. This recipe features a foolproof, all-butter pastry crust that shatters perfectly upon biting. The filling is a vibrant, jammy mound of mixed summer berries, lightly sweetened and brightened with lemon zest. Baked directly on a flat sheet until the juices bubble over the golden, sugar-crusted edges, it is the ultimate effortless summer dessert, particularly when served warm with a massive scoop of melting vanilla bean ice cream.

The Ingredients

For the All-Butter Crust:
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into small cubes
3 to 4 tbsp ice water
For the Berry Filling:
4 cups mixed fresh berries (strawberries hulled and halved, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1.5 tbsp cornstarch (to thicken the juices)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For Finishing:
1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp water (egg wash)
2 tbsp coarse turbinado or sanding sugar
Vanilla bean ice cream (mandatory for serving)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to quickly cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. (These butter chunks create flakiness).
Hydrate the dough: Drizzle 3 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture. Use a fork to gently toss the mixture until it begins to clump together. If it's too dry, add the 4th tablespoon of ice water. Turn the dough out onto a surface and quickly gather it into a cohesive disk. Do not over-knead.
Chill the dough: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This relaxes the gluten and ensures a tender, flaky crust.
Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, gently toss the mixed berries with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Ensure the cornstarch coats the berries evenly so it can thicken the juices during baking.
Roll out the crust: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a sheet of parchment paper on your counter and lightly flour it. Roll the chilled dough disk out directly on the parchment into a rough 12-inch circle. It doesn't need to be perfectly round. Slide the parchment with the dough onto a heavy baking sheet.
Pile the filling: Spoon the berry mixture directly into the center of the dough circle, leaving a clear 2-inch border of bare dough all the way around the edge. Discard any excess liquid left in the bottom of the berry bowl.
Fold the edges: Gently fold the bare 2-inch border of dough up and over the outer edge of the berries, pleating and overlapping the dough naturally as you work your way around the circle. The center of the fruit should remain exposed.
Egg wash and sugar: Brush the pleated dough border generously with the beaten egg wash. Sprinkle the coarse turbinado sugar heavily over the wet egg wash; this creates a beautiful, crunchy, sparkling crust.
Bake to perfection: Bake in the center of the oven for 35 to 45 minutes. The crust should be deeply golden brown, and the fruit filling should be violently bubbling and thick. If the juices aren't bubbling, the cornstarch hasn't activated.
Cool and serve: Remove from the oven and let the galette cool on the baking pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing, allowing the juices to set slightly. Serve warm, topped with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream.