Baker Polina Chesnokova serves up a Rustic apple galette in our 11” Skillet. Polina has recently released her new book Hot Cheese. To order and find out more information head here.

A galette is the easy-going, whimsical cousin of pie. Simply roll out a piece of dough, layer in some sweetened fruit (or make it savory with vegetables), pleat the edges, and it's ready to go in the oven—easy as that. No need to worry about juices leaking or imperfect edges, that’s the beauty and charm behind this rustic free-form dessert.

Ingredients

 Crust

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

½ cup water

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Filling

2-3 large Gold Rush or Golden Delicious (about 4 cups), peeled, cored, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup damson plum, peach, or apricot jam

1 egg, for egg wash (mixed with 1 tablespoon water or heavy cream)

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, to finish

whipped heavy cream or creme fraiche for serving

Recipe

For the pastry, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and toss to coat. Place in fridge for 15-20 minutes.  Mix the water and apple cider vinegar in a measuring cup and place in the freezer.

Remove the flour-butter mixture from the fridge and use your fingers to squeeze each cube of butter into a flat sheet. Toss the butter in the flour as you go, incorporating the flour into the flat shards of butter as much as you can. 

Once you have various sizes of crumbs and the flour-butter mixture resembles a coarse meal, begin to drizzle the ice water over it, a few tablespoons at first. Using a gentle, open hand or a rubber spatula, stir the water into the flour. Continue to add more water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough is hydrated—you know this when you squeeze the dough into clumps and it doesn’t fall apart. Press the dough together, form it in a disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least one hour before using, it or overnight.

Butter a 10-inch skillet. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into an 11- to 12-inch circle, about ⅛-inch thick. Transfer it to the greased skillet. Place in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Toss the apple slices with the sugar, honey, lemon, vanilla, spices, salt, and melted butter. Take out the skillet and spread the jam onto the dough, covering the base of the skillet. Starting from the outer edge, arrange apple slices in concentric circles atop the jam, overlapping slightly. Fold the plain crust border up over the apples, pleating it at points to make a circle. Place the skillet into the fridge for at least 20-30 minutes to chill the dough.

While the galette is chilling, preheat the oven to 400°F. When you are ready to bake, brush the edges of the galette with the egg wash and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Bake the galette, rotating the skillet halfway through until it is deep golden brown and crisp, about an hour. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the galette cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche or freshly whipped cream.