hile
you could call this recipe a 'tart', the name 'galette' seems more fitting
for this lovely round of puff pastry topped with a layer of frangipane
and thinly sliced apples. Galette is, in fact, a French term
signifying a flat round cake
that can be either sweet or
savory and while this recipe uses puff pastry as a base, they can also
be made from yeast risen doughs like broiche, or with a sweet pastry crust.
Like the crusts, the toppings can vary also; ranging from fresh, candied
or dried fruits, creams, nuts, and jams for sweet Galettes, with savory ones
being topped with an assortment of meats and/or cheeses.
This Galette
is made with either a homemade puff pastry or with a frozen store bought
brand. You will need one pound (454 grams) of puff pastry but if you are using the widely
available brand that comes in two - 8 ounce sheets you will have to either
make two smaller galettes or else just use one sheet with half the recipe
for the frangipane and about one pound (454 grams) of apples. Make sure to thaw
the puff pastry (as per manufacturer's directions) before you begin this
dessert. We top the puff pastry with frangipane, which is a delicately flavored sweet almond cream made from sugar, butter,
eggs, and almond meal. Almond meal (flour) is blanched
almonds that are finely ground and can be found at health food stores and many large grocery stores. If you cannot
find it you can make your own by taking about 1/2 cup of blanched almonds
(along with the flour in the recipe) and processing these two ingredients in
your food processor until finely ground. Just make sure not to over
process this mixture as it needs to be finely ground, not a paste.
Frangipane:
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream
the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until
smooth. Add the almond meal and flour and beat
until it forms a smooth paste. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and
refrigerate.
Puff Pastry:
If you are using store bought puff pastry, thaw (as per manufacturer's
instructions) and then, on a lightly
floured piece of parchment paper, roll the pastry into a 16 inch (40
cm) oval shape that is about 1/8 inch thick. Prick the pastry all
over with the tines of a fork and then transfer the pastry (along with the
parchment paper) to a large baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap
and freeze until firm, about 15 - 20 minutes. Then, with an offset
spatula or large knife, spread a thin layer of frangipane over the chilled crust,
leaving about a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) border. Cover and again freeze for about 15
more minutes.
Preheat oven to 400
degrees F (205 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the middle of the
oven
Then peel and slice the
apples into 1/4 inch slices. Place in a large bowl and toss with
the sugar and ground cinnamon. Remove the puff pastry from the
freezer and lay the sugar coated apple slices on top of the frangipane,
overlapping the slices.
Bake for
about 15 - 25 minutes or until the apples are slightly browned and tender and the puff
pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and place
on a wire rack.
Preheat the oven
broiler and move the rack to the top shelf of the oven. Lightly dust the
tops of the apples with confectioners sugar (powdered or icing) and
place under the broiler until the tips of the apples start to
caramelize. Watch closely and move the pan as needed.
Serve warm or cold with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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