Rustic Peach Galette
A galette is pie's more relaxed, less demanding cousin — no fluted edges, no blind-baking, no worrying about a soggy bottom. You roll the dough into a rough circle, pile the fruit in the center, and fold the edges up and over in casual pleats. The rustic look is the point. Juicy August peaches are the ideal filling: they soften into a jammy layer under a crackling crust, their natural sweetness concentrated by the oven. The secret is a quick maceration in sugar to draw out excess juice before filling — drain that syrup off and reduce it on the stovetop into a glaze that you'll brush over the finished galette. A scoop of vanilla ice cream melting across the top turns this from weekday dessert into something worth lingering over. Serve with Peach Iced Tea for a late-summer celebration.
Dessert · Summer, Peach, Baking • 70 min
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 –6 tablespoons ice water
- For the filling:
- 5 –6 medium ripe but firm peaches (about 2 pounds), sliced ¼-inch thick
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of kosher salt
- For assembly:
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon turbinado or coarse sugar, for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam or honey, warmed (optional glaze)
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Steps
- Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt to combine. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse in 1-second bursts until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces, about 8–10 pulses. Drizzle in 4 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough just starts to clump together when squeezed. Add 1–2 more tablespoons water if it's too dry. Turn the dough onto plastic wrap, shape into a flat disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, gently toss the peach slices with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Let sit for 15–20 minutes to macerate — the sugar will draw out the peach juices. Drain the accumulated liquid into a small saucepan and set aside (you'll use this for a glaze later).
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rough 14-inch circle about ⅛-inch thick. It doesn't need to be perfect — that's the rustic part. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet by rolling it loosely around the rolling pin and unrolling it onto the parchment.
- Arrange the drained peach slices in the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Mound them slightly in the center — they'll settle as they bake. Fold the border of dough up and over the peaches, pleating it loosely every few inches. The center will remain exposed.
- Brush the folded crust with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling in the center.
- While the galette bakes, bring the reserved peach syrup to a boil in the small saucepan. Simmer until thickened and syrupy, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the apricot jam or honey if using. When the galette comes out of the oven, brush this glaze over the exposed fruit for a glossy finish. Let cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 1 month (thaw overnight in the fridge). The peaches can be sliced and macerated up to 2 hours ahead — drain and hold at room temperature. Assemble and bake the day of serving for the crispiest crust.
Storage
Cover the cooled galette loosely with foil and store at room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 3 days. The crust will soften over time — reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes to re-crisp. Serve at room temperature or gently warmed.
Substitutions
This galette formula works with any stone fruit: nectarines, plums, apricots, or a mix. For an apple galette in the fall, use 2 pounds of sliced apples, bump the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon, and add ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Add ½ cup fresh blueberries or raspberries to the peach filling for a mixed-fruit version. The crust can be made with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. A scoop of almond paste or frangipane spread on the dough before adding the fruit makes it extra luxurious.
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
