galette: a free-form crusty cake or a flat round cake often topped with fruit.

i think of galettes as a less fussy version of a tart. simple and elegantly rustic. this gluten free version is quick and just as delicious it’s gluten-ey sister.

i used Bob’s Biscuit & Baking Mix  to make the hand shaped crust for a few reasons. a) it’s highly trusted in the gluten free world. b) it’s easy to use and almost as easy to find in your neighborhood grocery store. i am sure you can find their products at online retailers as well. you can buy their products in bulk on their site but can’t purchase single bags, but i wanted to share a link to their site with you so can read more about them and their great products if you haven’t already.

the crust recipe listed here doesn’t deviate too much from the pie crust recipe on the package, just so you know- that i know- and i am not trying to take credit from the lovely folks at Bob’s Red Mill.

when making a crust (and most other baked goods) consistency is key. you want your crust to stick together without being too wet or too crumbly. a fine balance. making gluten free items that successfully do this is TRICKY! since there is no gluten, which aids in holding ingredients together. this recipe has successfully worked for me multiple times now and i plan on using it for the rest of eternity, or until i get sick of galettes. i love savory galettes as well, i would definitely use this recipe minus the sugar for savory galettes. (want a recipe for that? just holla at me and i will whip something together for your reading/viewing/tasting pleasure.)

for this recipe you can use your hands or a Cuisinart to make this dough i’ve done both- with great success.

ingredients:

2 cups + a bit more for sprinkling of Bob’s GF Biscuit & Baking Mix

1 stick cold unsalted butter (pasture raised preferred!)

1 teaspoon vanilla

6-8 tablespoons ice water

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar or coconut palm sugar

1 cup ground almonds (optional)

coconut milk ( i used canned)

2 cups neatly cut ripe fruit- my current favorite- peach strawberry (enough to fill the center of the dough)

some other combos you might try:

• plum raspberry
• apricot, straight up!
• berries galore

directions:

preheat over to 425 degrees

grease a large baking sheet

if you are grinding your own almonds, do this first. i used raw vanilla infused almonds the first time i made this. heaven.

put mix and 1 tablespoon of sugar into a large bowl or your Cuisinart.

cut cold butter into small cubes, roughly 1/2 inch. add it to the bowl and start working it together by hand or with the dough attachment in your Cuisinart.

add the water little by little until the right consistency is achieved.  you should be able to touch the dough without your hands getting all sticky or it being too crumbly. if you are using a Cuisinart you will probably need to scrape down the sides and do the last bit by hand.

cover a hard surface with extra bit of mix  and roll out into a large circle. don’t worry about it being perfectly symmetrical. just make sure it’s all stuck together and has an even thickness- about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

cover the center of the round with the ground almonds to make a base for the fruit. this adds a marzipan taste to the galette and also helps absorb some of the moisture from the fruit.

start layering on the fruit. the center of the fruit will be seen so if you want to get fussy about how the fruit it looks this is the part to do it on. leave between 2 – 4 inches around the edge for folding in depending how big you made your dough round.

once all the fruit is in the center start to gently pick up the side of the dough, folding it in, on top of the fruit and itself, patting it down slightly as you go making sure there are no cracks at the base where it folds over. if there are, smooth it out a bit by pushing the dough back together.

brush or spoon coconut milk the top. this will make it brown and crusty.

sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the top.

put in the oven until browned. about 35 min.

serve warm or at room temperature with some fresh whipped cream

a few more notes–

galette dough is often made ahead of time and put in the fridge or freezer for easier rolling. you can do this too! make ahead of time and have it ready to whip this delish dessert together anytime you have fruit ready.

vegan/dairy free option- i haven’t tried using refrigerated or frozen coconut oil for this. but i am thinking it would work well if not handled too much. let me know if you try it.