Easy Almond Peach Galette Recipe: Your Rustic Summer Dessert Dream
Indulge in the quintessential taste of summer with this incredibly easy Almond Peach Galette. This rustic yet elegant dessert perfectly combines a rich, buttery, and supremely flaky pastry crust with succulent, ripe peaches and a delicate hint of almond. A homemade galette is the ultimate showstopper for any summer occasion, whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a relaxed family gathering, or simply a sophisticated afternoon tea. Its freeform beauty and irresistible flavors make it a favorite for bakers of all skill levels, proving that impressive desserts don’t have to be complicated.
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Why You’ll Adore This Easy Peach Galette Recipe
Among the vast array of fruits perfect for baking, peaches hold a special place in our hearts. There’s an undeniable magic that happens when these naturally sweet and juicy fruits are baked in the oven; their flavors intensify, and their texture becomes incredibly tender. What could possibly enhance this experience more than encasing them in a wonderfully flaky, all-butter pastry crust? This Peach Galette takes that simple pleasure and elevates it into a truly unforgettable dessert.
The marriage of peaches and almonds is a classic pairing, and for good reason! Their complementary flavors create a harmonious symphony, especially when combined with a tender, flaky pastry. The subtle nuttiness of the almond enhances the sweetness of the peaches without overpowering them, creating a balanced and sophisticated profile. If you’re a fan of this delightful combination, you might also enjoy other almond-peach creations, like a more structured Peach Frangipane Tart, which offers a slightly different texture but the same fantastic flavor.
Beyond its incredible taste, galettes are celebrated for their simplicity. They are the ideal dessert to prepare when you desire to create something visually stunning and utterly delicious without spending hours in the kitchen. The beauty of a galette lies in its rustic, freeform nature, which means there’s no need for perfect precision or special tart pans. Whether you opt for a sweet fruit galette like this delightful Almond Peach version, a crisp Apple Galette, or a vibrant Blackberry Tart, or even venture into savory territory with a Tomato Galette, the creative possibilities are truly endless, making it a versatile staple for any home baker.
Understanding the French Galette: Rustic Charm Defined
In French cuisine, the term “Galette” is wonderfully versatile and can refer to several distinct culinary creations. Understanding these distinctions helps appreciate the unique character of this rustic peach tart:
- It can simply be another word for a thin pancake or Crepe, often used specifically for savory buckwheat crepes, known for their earthy flavor.
- It can refer to the festive Galette des Rois (King’s Cake), a traditional puff pastry pie filled with rich frangipane, enjoyed during the Epiphany celebration.
- Most commonly, especially in the context of baking, a galette is a rustic freeform Tart. These delightful creations can be either sweet or savory, characterized by their lack of a pie dish, allowing the edges of the pastry to be simply folded over the filling. Examples include savory options like a Mushroom Galette or sweet fruit-filled versions.
This particular recipe for our Almond Peach Galette falls into the last category: a beautifully simple, freeform rustic peach tart that requires no special tin or pan, making it accessible and charmingly imperfect.
Crafting the Perfect Flaky Galette Pastry with Almond Meal
Creating the pastry for a galette shares many similarities with making dough for a traditional pie or tart, with the key difference being its charmingly freeform shape. This rustic peach tart recipe features a pastry that’s not only incredibly buttery and flaky but also incorporates a touch of almond meal, which adds a wonderful depth of flavor and tender texture. You can prepare this dough either by hand for a more traditional approach or quickly in a food processor for maximum convenience.
The secret to a truly outstanding galette lies in its crust. Our recipe uses very basic ingredients, elevated by the addition of almond meal, which imparts a subtle nutty flavor and contributes to the pastry’s delicate crumbliness. Ensuring your butter and water are very cold is paramount for achieving those desirable flaky layers, as it prevents the butter from fully incorporating into the flour, instead creating pockets of steam during baking.
Ingredients for the All-Butter Galette Pastry Crust
To prepare this irresistible all-butter galette pastry crust, you will need the following key ingredients (please refer to the full recipe card below for exact quantities):
- Plain / All-Purpose Flour: The foundational ingredient, ideally sifted to avoid any lumps and ensure a smooth dough.
- Almond Meal: This adds a lovely nutty flavor and helps tenderize the crust. Make sure to sift it thoroughly, as almond meal can often clump together during storage.
- Caster Sugar: Also known as fine white sugar, it provides just enough sweetness to the crust without making it overly dessert-like, balancing the fruit filling.
- Unsalted Butter: This is the star for flakiness. It must be very cold and cut into small cubes to achieve those desirable pockets of butter within the dough.
- Ice-Cold Water: Crucial for bringing the dough together without melting the butter, contributing to the ultimate flaky texture.
Making Galette Pastry in the Food Processor: A Quick Guide
While making pastry by hand is a satisfying experience, using a food processor is a fantastic shortcut that minimizes mess and time. The process is similar whether you’re using a machine or your hands:
- Combine the dry ingredients: In your food processor bowl, first pulse together the plain flour, almond meal, and caster sugar until well combined.
- Incorporate the cold butter: Add the very cold butter, cut into small cubes, to the dry mixture. Pulse in short bursts until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs or wet sand. It’s important that no large pieces of butter remain, but you should still see small, pea-sized bits.
- Add the ice water: Gradually add the ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition. Stop as soon as the dough just begins to come together. You might need slightly more or less water depending on your flour and humidity levels. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough crust.
- Shape and chill the dough: Transfer the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured sheet of baking paper. Gently bring it together into a rough disc or ball. Place a second sheet of baking paper over the dough and roll it out into a large, thin circle.
- Rest for perfection: Carefully transfer the rolled dough (still between the baking paper) to a flat baking tray and place it in the fridge to chill and rest for at least 1 hour. This chilling period is vital, allowing the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up, which contributes to an incredibly tender and flaky crust.
For those times when you’re short on time or prefer a quicker option, remember that you can certainly make this delightful peach galette with a good quality store-bought pie or pastry crust. Just ensure it’s unbaked and ready to be rolled out!
Creating the Irresistible Peach Filling
The luscious filling for this rustic peach galette is just as delightfully simple as its buttery crust. It primarily features the natural goodness of fresh peaches, brightened with a touch of lemon juice, sweetened with sugar, and fortified with almond meal and cornstarch to perfectly thicken any juices released during baking. This careful balance ensures the fruit remains juicy and flavorful without making your beautiful pastry soggy.
This is where you can truly make the galette your own! Feel free to infuse the peach filling with your favorite warming spices, such as a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or even a hint of cardamom, for an extra layer of aroma and taste. For an added textural element and a boost of nutty flavor, consider sprinkling in some chopped pecans, walnuts, or even toasted slivered almonds directly into the filling mixture.
Ingredients for the Peach Galette Filling
To prepare the sweet and juicy filling for your galette, you will need (refer to the recipe card for precise measurements):
- Fresh Peaches: The star of the show! Both yellow and white peaches work wonderfully. Select fruits that are relatively soft but not overly ripe, as you need them to hold their shape when sliced.
- Caster Sugar: Fine white sugar is perfect here, but for a deeper, more caramel-like flavor, you can certainly substitute with brown sugar. Adjust the amount based on the sweetness of your peaches.
- Cornstarch: An essential thickening agent. This helps to absorb and thicken the natural juices released by the peaches as they bake, preventing a watery filling and ensuring your pastry remains crisp.
- Almond Meal: Used not only for its delightful flavor but also for its ability to absorb excess moisture from the fruits, further aiding in preventing a soggy bottom crust.
- Lemon Juice: A splash of fresh lemon juice is crucial. It brightens the flavors of the peaches and balances the sweetness, adding a hint of tangy complexity.
Preparing Your Juicy Peach Filling
- First, prepare your peaches: Carefully slice each peach in half and remove the stone. Using a small serrated knife or a sharp paring knife, thinly slice each peach half. Aim for consistent slices so they cook evenly, and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Season the peaches: Add the fresh lemon juice, caster sugar, cornstarch, and almond meal to the bowl with the sliced peaches. With a spatula, gently stir the ingredients until all the peach slices are evenly coated. Be delicate during this step to avoid breaking the beautiful peach slices, which will be arranged artfully on your galette.
Assembling Your Beautiful Almond Peach Galette
With both your perfectly chilled pastry and deliciously prepared peach filling ready, it’s time for the exciting part: assembling your rustic peach galette. This process is straightforward and allows for plenty of creative expression in arranging your fruit.
- Preheat your oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 160°C/325°F. This ensures your oven is at the optimal temperature for even baking as soon as your galette is ready.
- Prepare the pastry: Carefully remove your chilled pastry from the fridge. Remove the top sheet of baking paper and place the pastry, still on its bottom sheet, onto a flat baking tray or a large baking sheet.
- Guard against sogginess: Lightly sprinkle an extra tablespoon of almond meal evenly over the exposed pastry crust, leaving a clear margin of about 2 inches around the edges. This vital step helps to absorb any excess moisture from the peaches, preventing a soggy bottom crust.
- Arrange the peaches: Artfully arrange the sliced peaches over the almond meal, starting from the center and working your way outwards in a circular pattern. Make sure to leave that 2-inch border of clear pastry around the perimeter; this will form the rustic edge of your galette.
- Fold the edges: Gently fold the clear edges of the pastry up and over the outer layer of fruits, creating natural pleats as you go. Take care to ensure there are no significant gaps or holes in the folded pastry, which could allow precious juices to escape during baking. The beauty of a galette is in its imperfections, so don’t strive for absolute uniformity.
- Optional egg wash: For a truly professional and gorgeously golden-brown finish, whisk an egg yolk with a teaspoon of water to create an egg wash. Lightly brush this mixture over the folded pastry edges. This step is entirely optional but highly recommended for enhanced visual appeal.
- Bake to perfection: Transfer the assembled galette to your preheated oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes. The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven and the ripeness of your peaches. The galette is ready when the fruits are tender, bubbling, and the pastry crust is beautifully golden brown and crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions About Peach Galettes
Functionally, a galette and a crostata are essentially the same rustic, freeform tart baked without the constraint of a pan. The primary distinction lies in their origin: “Galette” is a French term, while “Crostata” hails from Italy. Both names typically refer to the same charming style of fruit-filled pastries, celebrated for their unpretentious beauty and delicious taste.
In a broader sense, a galette can be considered a type of pie, as both feature a pastry crust enveloping a sweet or savory filling. However, there are distinct differences. Galettes are typically much flatter and have an exposed filling in the center, as the pastry edges are simply folded over without a pan to provide structure. Traditional pies, on the other hand, are usually thicker, often baked in a pie dish, and can have either an open-top filling or a full top crust covering the filling completely.
Preventing a soggy crust is a common challenge with fruit tarts. With traditional pies, you can often blind-bake the pastry crust to create a barrier. However, this isn’t feasible for a galette, as you need the raw pastry edges to be pliable enough to fold over the filling. The best technique for a galette is to sprinkle a moisture-absorbing ingredient over the bottom of the pastry before adding the fruit filling.
While ingredients like fine semolina flour or fine polenta can be used, for this Almond Peach Galette, a little bit of Almond Meal sprinkled over the pastry works perfectly. The almond meal creates a protective layer, effectively absorbing much of the natural juices released by the peaches as they bake. This not only helps keep the bottom crust crisp and beautifully baked but also adds another layer of delightful almond flavor.
Storing & Freezing Your Homemade Peach Galette
How to Store This Delicious Dessert
This rustic peach galette is undeniably best enjoyed warm, ideally fresh from the oven. However, if you have leftovers, they can be stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours, loosely covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. For longer storage, or if your kitchen is particularly warm, it’s best to transfer the galette to the refrigerator after it has cooled completely. Stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped, it will keep well for 2-3 days.
To revive the flavors and texture, especially that wonderful flaky crust, we highly recommend warming the galette before serving. You can place the entire galette back in a preheated oven (around 150°C/300°F) for 5 to 10 minutes until warmed through. Alternatively, individual slices can be quickly heated in the microwave for about 30 seconds for a convenient and comforting treat.
Can I Prepare My Peach Galette in Advance?
Yes, absolutely! Making this Almond Peach Galette ahead of time is a fantastic option, especially when planning for parties or busy days. However, for the best results, it’s crucial to bake the galette completely before storing. If assembled but unbaked, the fruit juices can begin to soften the raw pastry, leading to a less desirable texture. Once baked, the galette can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, making it a convenient make-ahead dessert.
As mentioned, it’s always preferable to serve galettes warm. If you’ve baked it ahead, simply pop it back into the oven for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. A clever tip for those planning to serve much later: slightly undercook the galette by about 10 minutes initially, and then finish the baking process just before you plan to serve it. This method ensures maximum freshness and an exquisite texture that will impress your guests.
Can I Freeze My Homemade Galette?
Yes, this Almond Peach Galette freezes wonderfully, making it an excellent candidate for meal prep or for saving a taste of summer for later. In fact, if you’re planning to prepare this recipe significantly ahead of time, freezing can often be a superior option to refrigeration, as it helps preserve the freshness and prevents the crust from becoming soggy over extended periods.
Galettes can be frozen either un-baked or baked. For the freshest possible finish and the flakiest crust, we highly recommend freezing them un-baked. To do this, simply assemble your galette as directed (without the egg wash), place it on a flat baking tray, and freeze until solid. Once frozen, wrap the galette tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, to prevent freezer burn. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen galette directly into a preheated oven and add an additional 10-15 minutes to the indicated baking time to allow it to thaw and cook through. If freezing a baked galette, ensure it’s completely cooled, then wrap thoroughly and freeze. Reheat from frozen in a moderate oven until warmed through and crisp.
Explore More Delicious Fruit Tart & Galette Recipes
If you’ve fallen in love with the simplicity and charm of this Almond Peach Galette, you’ll be delighted to know there are many more fruit-filled pastries to explore! From classic French tarts to other rustic galettes, these recipes are perfect for any occasion where you crave a sweet, fruity treat.
- Strawberry and Cinnamon Galette: A vibrant, spiced berry delight.
- Easy French Apple Tart: A timeless classic with delicate apple slices.
- Apricot Tarte Tatin: Caramelized apricots in a stunning upside-down tart.
- Strawberry Custard Tartlets: Individual portions of creamy custard and fresh berries.
- Pear Frangipane Tarts: Elegant tartlets featuring tender pears and almond frangipane.
- French Orange Tart: A zesty and refreshing citrus experience.
- Peach Tarte Tatin: Another incredible take on caramelized peaches.
- Pear Frangipane Tart: A sophisticated and rich pear and almond tart.
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Recipe Card: Easy Almond Peach Galette
Easy Peach Galette with Almonds
Servings: 8 people
Author: Sylvie
Print Recipe
Ingredients
All-Butter Galette Pastry
- 100 gr Plain / All-Purpose Flour
- 20 gr Almond Meal
- 15 gr Caster Sugar
- 60 gr Unsalted Butter, very cold
- 45 ml Cold Water
Peach Galette Filling
- 4 large Peaches, soft but not fully ripe
- 20 gr Caster Sugar
- 10 gr Cornstarch
- 10 gr Almond Meal, + 1 tbsp to sprinkle over the pastry
- 30 ml Lemon Juice, about 1/2 large lemon
Egg Wash (optional)
- 1 large Egg Yolk
Instructions
All-Butter Galette Pastry
- In the bowl of your Food Processor, mix the Flour, Almond Meal and Sugar. (see note 1 if making by hands)
- Add small cubes of Cold Butter to the dry ingredients. Blend until it you get small crumbs and cannot see big chunks of butter.
- Add the Cold Water a little bit at the time, pulsing in between each addition. As soon as the dough starts to come together, stop adding water (see note 2)
- Transfer the pastry onto a lightly floured sheet of baking paper and bringer together into a large ball. Place a second sheet of baking paper over it and roll into a large thin circle.
- Place in the fridge to set for at least 1 hour. (see note 3)
Peach Galette Filling
- Slice the Peaches in Half and remove the stone. With a small serrated knife, cut thin slices of peaches and place them in a mixing bowl.
- Add the Lemon Juice, Caster Sugar, Cornstarch and Almond Meal. Stir delicately until all the fruits are evenly covered.
Putting the Galette together
- Preheat your oven on 160’C/325’F.
- Take the Pastry out of the fridge and remove the top layer of baking paper. Place it on a flat baking tray.
- Sprinkle the extra tablespoon of Almond Meal over the Pastry
- Arrange the fruit slices in your preferred pattern, leaving the edges of the pastry free. (see note 4)
- Fold the edges of the pastry over the external round of fruits. Make sure there are no gaps or holes so that no juices can escape while baking.
- Optional: whisk an egg yolk and brush over the edge of the pastry for a golden brown finish.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Serve lukewarm, with the optional scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream
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Notes
- To make the pastry by hands, rub the butter and dry ingredients between your fingers and palms until to get the desired consistency. You can also use a Pastry Cutter to help you.
- You may need less or more water than indicated, but make sure you stop as soon as the dough comes together so you do not overwork the pastry. It will still look a bit rough but it will get the perfect consistency when you roll it.
- The pastry will feel hard when you take it out of the fridge, but will soften at room temperature and with the heat of your hands. This pastry can also be made ahead and kept in the fridge for 24 hours before using it.
- To create the same pattern as me, start by placing 4 slices of peaches in the middle of the pastry. Changing direction, place another 4 slices next to the first one. Repeat until all of your fruits are placed over the pastry.
Nutrition (per serving)
Carbohydrates: 23g |
Protein: 3g |
Fat: 9g |
Saturated Fat: 4g |
Cholesterol: 41mg |
Sodium: 3mg |
Potassium: 156mg |
Fiber: 2g |
Sugar: 11g |
Vitamin A: 464IU |
Vitamin C: 6mg |
Calcium: 19mg |
Iron: 1mg