February
KQED Kitchen, hosted by Kim Goodfriend, brings you
seasonal dessert recipes that you can follow
step by step through online slideshows.
This month, Kim prepares an apple-pear galette with dried cherries, a seasonal dessert for February.
This rustic French country tart is as easy and versatile as it is delicious. The flaky pastry uses mostly butter for flavor, and a bit of vegetable shortening for extra flakiness. You can make the pastry and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 2 weeks. Try experimenting with other seasonal fruits, such as peaches and berries, or a mixture of nuts and dried fruits with the apples or pears. This addictive galette can be served warm or at room temperature on its own (it's great for breakfast) or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water
For the filling:
3 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks (choose seasonal, organic varieties such as Braeburn)
2 pears, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks (choose seasonal, organic varieties such as Bartlett)
1/2 cup dried bing cherries
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation:
To make the pastry, put the flour, salt, and sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter and shortening and pulse just until the butter pieces are about the size of large peas. Do not overmix. Add the ice water while pulsing and mix just until the pastry comes together.
Alternatively, in a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients with a fork. Add the butter and shortening and, using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour just until the butter pieces are about the size of large peas. Do not overmix. Add the ice water and stir with the fork just until the pastry comes together.
Dump the pastry onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and press the dough into a cohesive mass. Wrap the pastry in the plastic wrap and press it into a disk. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes while you make the filling.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
To make the filling, peel, core, and cut the apples and pears into 1-inch chunks. In a large bowl, toss the apples and pears with the lemon juice. Add the cherries, sugar, flour, and cinnamon and toss to mix. Set aside.
Remove the pastry disk from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large oval until it is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. To roll the dough, starting at the center, roll out but not over the edge. While you are rolling, continuously rotate the dough a quarter of a turn and sprinkle it with flour to keep it from sticking. It's also a good idea to flip the dough over. If the dough rips or tears, just press it back together and roll over it.
Gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Starting on one end of the baking sheet, unroll the dough so that it is centered on the baking sheet. It is okay if the dough is a bit larger than the sheet.
Dump the filling into the center of the dough and spread evenly with your hands, leaving a 3-inch border around the dough. Fold the edges of the dough up and over the filling, all the way around the filling, pleating the dough as you fold. Sprinkle the galette with about 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Bake the galette for about 1 hour, or until the fruit is tender, the juices are bubbling, and the crust is golden brown.
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