Ingredients
| FOR THE POACHED PEARS | |
| 4 ripe but firm pears | |
| 700ml water | |
| 225g caster sugar | |
| 20g fresh ginger, finely sliced | |
| 10 green cardamom pods | |
| pinch of saffron strands | |
| FOR THE PASTRY | |
| 100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting | |
| 100g wholemeal (wholewheat) flour | |
| pinch of fine sea salt | |
| 35g caster sugar | |
| 120g cold unsalted butter, diced | |
| 50–60ml water | |
| 2 tablespoons ground almonds | |
| 1 egg, beaten | |
| handful of flaked (slivered) almonds | |
| 2 tablespoons demerara (turbinado) sugar |
I’ll always have time for a galette. Even more so when they’re mini and I get a whole one to myself. They’re a lot less pressure if you don’t want or need to make a whole pie, and sturdy enough to transport easily without worrying about leaks and spills. I love using a bit of wholemeal flour in these for that nutty texture it brings to the pastry, but feel free to use just plain flour if preferred. Bring these along for a smaller, cosy gathering and serve warm with crème fraîche, ice cream or sour cream crème pâtissière.
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Instructions
| 1. | Peel your pears and cut them in half. Remove the core and set aside. |
| 2. | Add the water, sugar, ginger and cardamom to a deep saucepan and bring to the boil. |
| 3. | Add in the saffron and reduce the heat to a simmer. |
| 4. | Place your pears in the liquid, cover with the lid slightly ajar and poach for 20–30 minutes, until softened but still holding their shape. |
| 5. | Remove from the heat and let the pears cool in the syrup. |
| 6. | If you’re making ahead, place the pears and syrup in the fridge until needed. |
| 7. | To make the pastry, add both flours to a bowl. Mix in the salt and sugar. |
| 8. | Add in the diced butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour until you have a coarse breadcrumb mixture. |
| 9. | Make a well in the centre and add 50ml water. |
| 10. | Use a table knife to stir and bring it together to get a rough dough. |
| 11. | If it still looks really dry, add in a bit more water, a tablespoon at a time. |
| 12. | Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to bring it together into a thick disc. |
| 13. | Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 3–4 hours or overnight. |
| 14. | On the day you’re baking, line 2 baking trays with baking paper. |
| 15. | Cut your dough into 4 pieces and roll each one out, about 15cm wide. |
| 16. | Place 2 on each baking tray and dust the base with some ground almonds, leaving about 2.5cm clear around the edges. |
| 17. | Remove the pears from the syrup and slice each half diagonally into about 5 slices. |
| 18. | Arrange 2 halves (so about 10 slices) on each pastry disc and fold the edges up and over some of the fruit. Chill the galettes for 20 minutes. |
| 19. | Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). |
| 20. | Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle the flaked almonds and demerara sugar on top. |
| 21. | Bake for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is golden. |
| 22. | Let them cool completely on a wire rack before serving or boxing up in an airtight container. |
| 23. | You’ll have a lot of poaching liquid left over. |
| 24. | You can strain this and add it back to a saucepan, bring to the boil and let it reduce by about two-thirds. |
| 25. | Serve the galettes with a drizzle of the syrup if you want something sweeter, or it can be used for drinks. |
This is an edited
extract from I’ll Bring
Dessert by Benjamina
Ebuehi, published
by Quadrille, $59.99.
Available in stores
nationally from 11 April
2024. Photography
by Laura Edwards.