Peach Crumble Galettes
My favorite thing about living in California, unsurprisingly, is the abundance of beautiful produce at the local farmers markets. I’ve seen things I never knew existed, ranging from interesting mushrooms to certain hybrids of herbs and alien-like flowers. If you’re a sample lover like me, the farmers market is your place. In a perfect world I would taste every fruit before purchasing; nothing is more heartbreaking than bringing home a flavorless melon or sad berries.
When I’m shopping for perfect peaches, I very gently press into the bottom or top with only the tips of my fingers to see if they have a little give. Don’t be the guy who smooshes finger indentations into each peach, but do make sure you aren’t buying a rock disguised as a peach — unless you have a while to wait for it to ripen (I usually don’t). If unripe fruit is your only option, popping them into a brown bag and folding it shut will speed up the process but it will still take a few days to a week.
For a quick summer dessert using my beautifully ripe peaches I decided to make a classic galette with brown sugar and cinnamon oat crumble. A small batch of pie dough and a very easy crumble recipe are all that is required. Whipped cream optional, but preferable. Duh.
Recipe Notes: Cold butter will help ensure a crumbly crumble! When it begins to melt, the crumble isn’t gonna work out, so keep it cold! For the pie dough (recipe here), I used 2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour to add a little flavor. You can cut circles of dough and make mini galettes, or roll one large circle to about 14” and make a big guy.
Peach Crumble Galettes
Makes 5 to 6 individual galettes
1 batch homemade pie dough
4 to 5 ripe peaches, sliced thin
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the crumble topping:
1 cup oats
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter, cut into cubes and chilled
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt
Egg wash (1 egg + 2 tbsp water, milk or cream)
Whipped cream or ice cream, for serving (optional)
Move a rack to the bottom half of the oven, then preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place a baking stone on the rack now if you have one. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
To make the crumble topping, combine all of the ingredients except for the butter in a medium-sized bowl. Using your thumb and pointer finger, smash the cold butter cubes into the oat and flour mixture. Continue pinching the butter in until it begins to clump together and form a crumble. It will be dry, but should hold together when pinched.
Roll the pie dough out and cut 6” circles using a ring cutter or a bowl and knife. Place on a baking sheet and chill until ready to use.
In a large bowl, combine peaches, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to combine and set aside.
To form the galettes, take one dough circle and arrange peach slices in a spiral in the center. Fold the outer edges over the peaches to close them in and make a pocket. Egg wash, then top with a few pinches of the oat crumble. Form all the galettes, then freeze the tray for 10 minutes before baking.
Bake the galettes for 30 to 35 minutes on the lower rack, rotating halfway through the baking time, until the crust browns and the peaches are bubbling. When checking for doneness, carefully lift the galettes with a fork and peek at the bottom to make sure it is fully cooked!
Cool for a few minutes, then top with whipped cream and serve. Enjoy!
What I mean when I say “optional” whipped cream.