'til golden brown

This simple Strawberry Galette is the perfect crowd pleaser. After a holiday BBQ or family dinner, this treat will surely impress despite actually being a really easy bake (but no one’s gotta know that 😉). 

 

In fact, if strawberry galette wasn’t easy enough to make, I’ve taken it to a new level of easy. What’s the secret? It’s all in the crust…

Those who know me will tell you I love baking from scratch and find it incredibly soothing. But with little ones around me ~all the time~ I’ve resorted to late night bakes, or genius swaps that simplify the process and speed things up. Of course none of this compromises quality because I’m still a bit of a pastry snob 😂. I’m really selective about what goes in (calorie limits y’all), so if it’s gonna be eaten, it better be amazing. 🤷‍♀️ I’m sure you can relate!

So how did I make an easy bake even EASIER? I scrapped the entire dough making process! Doing it at home can be temperamental and a store bought shortcrust pastry (pie dough) can be used instead. Since a galette dough is the same as shortcrust pastry, this swap from homemade to store-bought can be done with one minor tweak (see no.3 in the instructions overview below to find out more).

 

Strawberry Galette Ingredients

Not only is this galette egg-free, it has just 7 simple ingredients.

1. Shortcrust pastry (pie dough) and/or puff pastry – I used a combination of both puff pastry and shortcrust pastry to give the galette an extra flaky crust. You can achieve this with two layers of either puff pastry or shortcrust pastry alone if that’s only what you have on hand. In Australia these doughs come as 24cm x 24cm (9.5 in x 9.5 in) pre-rolled sheets.
2. Fresh Strawberries – two punnets (one pound) of strawberries from the supermarket will be more than enough for this recipe, as it only uses 350g in total. Use fresh, firm strawberries.
3. Cornstarch – commonly referred to as cornflour in Australia and the UK. It’s used to thicken the juices that release from the strawberries while they bake. This is not the same as maize/corn flour which refers to finely ground whole corn kernels. Do not substitute with maize.
4. Brown Sugar – the standard brown sugar in Australia is known as ‘light brown sugar’ in the U.S. which is what I use in this recipe.
5. Honey – I used honey to add an earthy sweetness. To keep this recipe vegan, simply replace the honey with maple syrup. Ensure your pastry is vegan compliant.
6. Vanilla extract – vanilla pairs so well with strawberry. Any good quality vanilla flavouring will work well in this recipe. If you don’t like vanilla, simply omit it.
7. Raw sugar – also known as demerara sugar in the United Sates. This sugar is sprinkled on the crust of the galette to give it added sweetness and crunch.

Overview: How to Make a Strawberry Galette

1. Thaw store bought pie dough: Frozen puff pastry and/or shortcrust pastry (pie dough) needs to sit out until they are malleable, usually this only takes 10-15 minutes.
2. Make the filling: I prepare and mix the filling ingredients while the dough thaws. If necessary, chill the dough in the fridge until your filling is ready.
3. Stack the sheets of dough and gently tear off corners: Place the two sheets of pre-rolled dough one above the other. Gently tear both sheets together into a large circle. Tearing the dough into a circle gives it that rustic look like homemade pie dough. Transfer to a lined baking sheet.
4. Fill & assemble: Spoon the strawberry filling into the center, leaving about 5 centimetres (2 inches) from the edge. Working quickly and firmly, fold the edges up over the filling. The edges do not cover the entire filling.
5. Decorate and bake: Sprinkle raw sugar over the crust and bake in preheated oven until the crust is deeply golden brown. Serve your strawberry galette with vanilla ice cream, or fresh whipped cream.

• Images 1-3: Add the honey, vanilla, brown sugar and conrstarch to prepared strawberries.

• Images 4-6: Mix filling, tear dough into a circle, place filling over dough.

• Images 7-9: Fold edges over filling, sprinkle with raw (demerara) sugar, and bake ’til golden brown.

FAQ

Can I make a galette in advance?

I actually tested this for you to be safe. The short answer is: YES, you can make a galette  in advance however it is best to make and eat all on the same day.

You can make the galette filling one day ahead of baking and store it in the fridge, either in a bowl wrapped with plastic wrap, or in an air tight container. The filling will release liquid the longer it sits in the fridge. Use a slotted spoon to drain off some of the liquid before making your galette.

If you’re choosing to make your own dough, you can refrigerate it overnight. Leave the dough out at room temperature to soften slightly before rolling.

You can also entirely make and freeze an unbaked galette ahead of time, read below on how it can be done.

 

Can I freeze an unbaked galette?

Absolutely. Once again, fresh is best, but if you’re short on time or would like to be prepared, you can make a galette and freeze it to bake later.

Once the entire galette is assembled, place it in the freezer to firm up – approximately 45 minutes. Next, remove it from the freezer and wrap well in parchment paper and plastic wrap (several layers are needed here to avoid freezer burn). Return to the freezer until needed.

An unbaked galette can be frozen for up to three months. Do not freeze with an egg wash on it. To bake it, remove from the freezer and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper while your oven preheats (about 15 minutes). At this point, you may brush with an egg wash, sprinkle with raw (demerara) sugar, and then bake. For full instructions on how to bake a frozen galette, please see the notes in the recipe card below.

 

Is a galette served hot or cold?

It’s best to serve a galette at room temperature – so there’s no need to refrigerate it. This will allow the filling to set, as it will appear somewhat runny when the galette first comes out of the oven. If you’re making this in the winter months, it’s a great idea to allow the galette to cool for only 10 minutes then serving it while it’s still pleasantly hot.

 

How Do I stop my Galette From Going Soggy?

Simply brush your raw shortcrust pastry (pie dough) with egg whites. Allow the whites to dry (about 10 minutes) before spooning your filling onto the dough. Save the yolk to use as an egg wash on the crust, if desired.

Top Tips

I’ve got you covered with my top tips to nail any galette.

• Use the freshest fruit you can find as it’ll lead to a yummier, more flavoursome filling.
• Give the galette enough time to rest before slicing into it, so that the juices have time to set.
• Refrigerate the galette if eating it the next day. Consume within 3 days.
• Avoid using frozen fruit for the filling as it releases too much liquid. If you only have frozen fruit on hand, let it thaw on some paper towels then use a clean kitchen towel to gently squeeze out excess moisture before adding to the filling.
• Use store bought pastry to make your galette in next to no time. As pre-rolled shortcrust pastry is quite thin, stack two sheets of dough on each other for a thicker crust that is strong enough to hold the filling without going soggy.
• Substitute shortcrust pastry (pie dough) with puff pastry for a flakier galette, or use one of each laid on top of each other as I did in this recipe.
• My top secret tip: gently tear store bought dough into a circle to give it that classic free-form galette look.

 

Other Galette Variations

If you’ve enjoyed this strawberry galette, and want to change it up, consider the following fillings instead:

• Mixed Berry. Use your favourte berries in any ratios you enjoy. Equal parts of strawberry, raspberry and blueberry or blackberries makes a great filling.
• Strawberry + Rhubarb. Halve strawberries and slice rhubarb into small bite sized pieces. Use a ratio of 2:1 for strawberry to rhubarb for the filling (i.e. the weight of the strawberries should be twice as much as the rhubarb).
• Strawberry + Peach. Slice strawberries and peaches and arrange over the dough. Use equal parts of the two fruits.
• Customise with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon or anise for warming autumnal flavours.

More Sweet Strawberry Recipes

If you love strawberries as much as I do, have a go at making my Strawberry Baked Brie or Ricotta Cheesecake with Rosewater Syrupy Strawberries.

Tried it? Let me know if you liked it!

Go on and rate the recipe in the comments below. And don’t forget to tag your creations on Instagram with @tilgoldenbrown #tilgoldenbrown so I can feature them!