Fall Fruit Galette

One thing (among many) that amazed me about my mother was her ability to whip up desserts at a moments notice.  As a child, I watched pertinaciously as she scooped up flour and sugar from the bins, measured out leavening agents in the palm of her hand, and stirred her magic into mouth-watering pies and cakes that would keep us all anticipating the after-dinner dessert.

I realize for most of us, spur of the moment desserts come in the form of a box mix or frozen and  prepackaged.   However, I've tried to develop quick techniques and recipes that keep me true to my roots and make sure not to have a "thunder bolt" coming my way from Mom. LOL!  Pie crust that is made in bulk and can be frozen, up to six months, and cakes that can be baked ahead of time, wrapped well in plastic wrap and sealed, then frozen until you need them.

Tonight, I made a galette filled with fall fruits--apple, pear and cranberry.  A galette is a French term for a round, flat, free-formed cake or tart; in this case, mine were tarts.  Having pie crust in the freezer made it all possible and in less than 20 minutes, these cute little galettes were in the oven baking and a wonderful aroma filled our home.

Fall Fruit Galette
2 medium apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks about 1 1/2-inches
1 Bosc or Anjou Pear, cored and cut into chunks the same size
1/3 cup dried or fresh cranberries
2 T unsalted butter
2 T Boiled Apple Cider*
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

*You could make your own boiled apple cider by simmering a cup of apple cider for 20-30 minutes until the mixture is thickened and syrupy.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and blend in brown sugar and Boiled Apple Cider.  Spoon fruit into the mixture and cooked about 10 minutes on medium.  The fruit will release more liquid, but it will be absorbed at the end of cooking.  Remove and let cool while you roll out the pie crust.

One disk of Perfect Pie Dough 
Preheat oven to 400F-degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out pie dough and use a 6-inch saucer as a pattern to cut a round.

For a little extra flavor, I spooned 1-teaspoon of Cranberry~Vanilla Pear Jam I had preserved in September. You could use a teaspoon of Apple Butter, Raspberry Jam, or even Lemon or Orange Marmalade instead.

Spoon some of the apple/pear/cranberry mixture on top, then, bring up the sides and pinch around the filling.

Brush the outside of the dough with a beaten egg.  Finally, add a sprinkling of Sugar Crystals over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the pie dough is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.  


I have a friend, who would love a scoop of French Vanilla Ice Cream on top, but since I didn't have any ice cream, I whisked up some Cardamon Whipped Cream.  


Cardamon Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. ground cardamon
1 T confectioners' sugar


In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, or a copper bowl with a whisk, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Add the ground cardamon and confectioners' sugar and continue to whisk until cream holds its shape.

The galette was a perfect finish to our dinner and even though it's dark and chilly outside, my kitchen is warm and inviting...just like Mom's. Enjoy!