Rustic Strawberry Galette

How we in Delhi keep trying to hold on to dear Winter !!! It's officially spring time now but I want to still feel like we are in the last lap of winter.

I still refuse to put away my winter clothes...still continue wearing black and still make desserts like a Galette, otherwise perfect for a winter night (not that you can't have it otherwise).

Not until recently I discovered the super simple Galette. A lovely rustic pie made without a pie dish !! Yes you read it right...a pie without a pie dish !! Like pies a galette can be either sweet or savoury. The filling is placed directly on the rolled out pastry the sides are folded up around the filling and baked on a baking try.

Why I say that galette is a winter dessert because it is a rich dessert best served warm !!

With strawberries in abundance at this time of the year I could not think of a better flavour. While I hate (yes I know it's a strong word and yes I mean it) the synthetic strawberry flavour in jams, sauces, ice creams and the likes, I love fresh strawberry.

Strawberry and cream, ice-cream with actual strawberry pulp, strawberry cheesecake, or a home made strawberry compote....oh I can just go on and on and on....

Hence the Rustic Strawberry Galette !!

Recipe - Rustic Strawberry Galette

Ingredients

Makes 2 galettes of 6" each

For Shortcrust Sweet Pastry

225g All purpose flour

150g Butter - cut into 1 cm x 1 cm sized cubes and chilled.

1 Egg

2 tbsp Castor Sugar

2-4 tbsp Chilled Water (if required)

1 Egg for Egg-wash

For the Filling

2 cups Fresh Strawberries, hulled and halves or quartered depending on the size of the berries.

1 tbsp Cornflour

4 tbsp Dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder

Directions for the Pastry

1. Sift together the flour and the castor sugar.

2.  Intermittently blitz the flour-sugar mix with chilled butter in the food processor, till the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Do not over do it. We do not want the temperature of the mixture going up.

3. Add the egg. Blitz a little more.

4. Take out the dough in a large bowl and just bring it together with your hands. Do not kneed. Add a tablespoon or two of chilled water, only if required. Make a nice big ball, wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for atleast 30-40 minutes.

Directions for the Filling

1. While the pastry is getting chilled in the refrigerator, in a bowl mix strawberries, brown sugar, cinnamon powder and cornflour. 

Directions for Assembly

1. Line a baking tray with parchment.

2. Take out the pastry from the refrigerator.

3. Take 2 sheets of cling wrap and place the pastry dough between them.

4. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough.

5. Carefully pick it up along with the lower cling wrap sheet and invert it on the baking tray.  Peel off the cling wrap.

6. Now place the strawberry filling in the centre of the rolled out pastry sheet and fold up the sides around the filling.

7. Brush the pastry with egg wash.

8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 45 minutes.

9. Remove from the oven, cool on the cooling rack (along with the parchment) and serve.

Notes

1. Rolling out pastry between 2 sheets of cling wrap makes it easy to roll and  handle while placing on the baking try. There are no chances of it falling apart while you are placing it on the tray.

2. we use cornflour in the filling so that the strawberries do not become too runny when cooked.

3. Serving Suggestions: 

    a) Warm, as it is.

    b) Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. You could even try mascarpone cheese alongside.

Happy Baking !!