Apple-and-Pear Cornmeal Galette

This is the essence of autumn wrapped up in a dessert. You could say that a galette is the rustic cousin to a pie and, while we all enjoy sweet, juicy apple pies for holidays and outdoor gatherings, this galette will soon become one of your favorite fall desserts. Instead of putting the pastry dough into a pie plate, you place a flat disk of dough on a baking sheet, top it with fruit, sweeteners, and spices, then pull the edges of the pastry dough up and over the fruit filling, leaving the middle exposed. Baking the galette in the lower third of your oven allows the bottom of the galette to cook through and get a nice crust while leaving a nice golden top, a hallmark of all pastry desserts. Green or red Anjou or Bosc pears work best for baking. While delicious, Bartletts breakdown too much under pressure. If you can't find Fuji apples, Honeycrisp or Braeburn will work, or make a mixture of all three. You can make this galette ahead of time and reheat at 325°F for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. 

Apple-and-Pear Cornmeal Galette
Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Active Time:
30 mins
Chill Time:
2 hrs 15 mins
Stand Time:
10 mins
Bake Time:
30 mins
Cool Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs 35 mins
Servings:
8

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. fine yellow cornmeal or Bayou Cora Farms Heirloom Corn Flour, divided

  • ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

  • 4 to 6 tablespoons ice water, as needed

  • 2 medium (about 1 lb. total) Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

  • 2 large (about 1 lb. total) green Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

  • 2 tablespoons apple jelly

  • Vanilla ice cream

Directions

  1. Pulse flour, 1 cup of the cornmeal or corn flour, 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a food processor until combined, about 5 pulses. Add butter pieces, and pulse until mixture resembles small peas, 10 to 12 pulses. With food processor running, gradually add 4 tablespoons ice water, processing until mixture is evenly moistened and just starts to clump together, about 15 seconds. If needed, add remaining 2 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing 3 to 5 times to combine after each addition. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface, and knead gently to just bring dough together, 3 to 4 times. Shape into a disk, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill dough at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

  2. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in lower third position. Let dough stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Unwrap dough, and place between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll into a 12- x 14-inch oval (about ¼ inch thick). If desired, trim edges for smooth sides. Transfer dough (still between parchment paper) to a large baking sheet.

  3. Remove top sheet of parchment paper from dough. Sprinkle dough evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon cornmeal or corn flour. Arrange sliced apples and pears, overlapping slightly, on top of dough, leaving a 1 ½-inch border.

  4. Stir together cinnamon and remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over apple-pear filling. Fold edges of dough up and over filling, pleating or overlapping dough as needed. Lightly brush crust edges with beaten egg; then sprinkle evenly with turbinado sugar. Chill 15 minutes.

  5. Bake in preheated oven until crust is golden brown and fruit is tender, 28 to 32 minutes. Transfer galette (still on parchment paper) to a wire rack. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

  6. Microwave apple jelly in a small microwaveable bowl on HIGH until melted and smooth, about 25 seconds. Brush melted apple jelly over galette filling. Slice galette with a serrated knife while it is still warm. Serve slices topped with ice cream.

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