You know the saying…”make hay….”; that’s how I feel about fresh berries, do you too? I buy loads of them at this time of year and then think of all the ways I can use them. You can pile them on your granola in the morning, eat them by the handful for snacks, put them in smoothies, preserve them in brandy for future use, freeze them and the list goes on. This past week, I was dying for a berry pie but it’s too hot in Prescott to be messing around with making a berry pie so I “settled” for a berry galette. I had dough in my freezer, all I had to do was thaw it and roll it out. If you are not inclined to make dough,( who is when it’s hot?) buy some pre-made dough and make this delicious dessert in minutes. Take one to a dinner party; you will impress your friends, I guarantee.
BTW, the galette also works well with puff pastry if that’s your preference. Pepperidge Farm brand is fine, I use Dufour.
My Mixed Berry Galette
Mixed Berry Galette
And here’s the recipe if you care to make one:
MIXED BERRY GALETTE
12 oz. blackberries
16 oz. strawberries, trimmed and cut into halves and quarters
Zest of 2 lemons, divided
2 ½ Tb. flour
2 ½ Tb. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 egg
1 Tb. Turbinado sugar (or regular sugar)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place the blackberries and cut strawberries in a medium bowl. Add one-quarter of the lemon zest (about ½ tsp.), along with 2 ½ Tb. of flour, 2 ½ Tb. sugar, and ¼ salt of salt. Toss well.
Roll cold dough into a 12 inch free-form circle. Fold half the dough over the rolling pin and move it to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Pour the fruit mixture in the center of the dough and spread out, leaving a 1 ½ – 2 inch rim around the edges.
Gently fold the edges up over the fruit (fold in one direction only), making sure not the let the fruit poke through the dough. Mix 1 egg with 1 Tb. of water. Brush the egg wash over the exposed dough. Sprinkle the dough edges with Turbinado sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes—until edges are golden brown. Allow to cool to room temperature if you can wait that long!
Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Enjoy
