+ A
A -
MELISSA CLARK
NYT Syndicate
Galettes are generally casual desserts, made with just a rolling pin, a baking sheet and an oven. These free-form tarts can be filled with any fruit and will bake up bubbling and golden, no matter how slapdash you think you've been when folding them up.
This elegant galette, however, requires a bit more attention. But those few extra steps ” making a two-layer filling of strawberries and pistachios, and using cream cheese to enrich the crust ” add a lot to the finished dessert.
Pairing berries and pistachios is an idea I stole from the French, though raspberries are usually the berry of choice. In patisseries across France, you will see pistachio macarons with raspberry buttercream, and pistachio financiers with raspberries inside.
I chose strawberries and here, some are cooked down with a little sugar until syrupy, their somewhat elusive flavour condensed into a compote that is baked inside the tart. Use the bruised or ugly berries for this since you won't see them, anyway. Then save the prettiest ones for the top of the galette, piled there just before serving so they maintain their plumpness.
Because getting the most out of all the ingredients was part of my goal, the pistachios are also used in two ways. A sprinkling of the chopped, green-fleshed nuts adorns the crust, along with crunchy raw sugar, giving it texture and visual appeal. More pistachios are ground with butter and eggs into a smooth paste called frangipane, which is traditionally made with almonds.
After the dough is rolled out (which, thanks to the cream cheese, is relatively painless to do), the frangipane and the strawberry compote are layered on top. It's important to keep the two elements from blending together too much so their characters remain distinct. The first thing to hit your tongue should be the fruitiness of strawberries, with the richness and crunch of pistachios following in its juicy wake. Just use a light touch when spreading the syrup from the strawberries over the frangipane, and you should be fine.
The moisture in the compote can soften the crust if it sits too long, so bake this the day you serve it. But the components ” the dough, frangipane and compote ” can be prepared up to five days ahead.
It does all add up to being a bit more work than your average galette. But this beautiful, complex-tasting pastry is well worth the effort.
Strawberry and Pistachio Galette
Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus at least 1 hour's chilling
Yield: 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
For the crust:
2 1/4 cups/280 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup/226 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), very cold, cut in 1-inch pieces
4 ounces/113 grams cream cheese, very cold, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 to 4 tablespoons/45 to 60 milliliters ice water
For the strawberry compote and frangipane:
1 pound/454 grams strawberries, hulled and halved
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, plus 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup/100 grams plus 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup/100 grams shelled raw pistachios, plus 2 tablespoons chopped raw pistachios
1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Turbinado or Demerara sugar, as needed
Confectioners' sugar, for serving
METHOD
1. Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse to combine flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and cream cheese and pulse until lima-bean-size pieces form. Drizzle in lemon juice and 3 tablespoons/45 milliliters ice water, then pulse just until dough comes together, adding another tablespoon/15 milliliters of water if dough looks dry. Pat into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
2. Make the strawberry compote: Combine approximately 2/3 of the strawberries in a small pot with the lemon juice and 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar to taste, depending on sweetness of the berries. Cook over medium heat until strawberries start to break down and juices are thick and syrupy, about 12 minutes. Let cool. Compote can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
3. Make the frangipane: In a food processor, process 3/4 cup/100 grams shelled raw pistachios and remaining 1/2 cup/100 grams sugar until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until combined, then add 2 eggs, the lemon zest and the almond extract (if using), and pulse until smooth.
4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Dust a work surface with flour. Roll out dough to a 16-inch circle (it will be just slightly thicker than 1/8-inch), then transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Leaving a 3-inch border around the edges, spread the frangipane filling evenly over dough. Using a slotted spoon, dollop strawberry compote over frangipane, spreading any syrup gently so the compote and frangipane remain in separate layers, then fold dough edges up over the filling. About 6 to 8 inches of the filling should be exposed.
6. In a small bowl, whisk remaining egg with 1 tablespoon cold water, then brush over the dough. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and chopped pistachios. Bake until edges are deeply golden, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To serve, top with remaining halved strawberries and dust with confectioners' sugar.
