The Best Cherry Galette With Flaky Crust

This cherry galette is one of my favourite summer desserts. Juicy, in-season cherries bake inside the easiest buttery, flaky pastry, folded loosely around the fruit so there’s no fiddly crimping or lattice. It’s simpler than a pie but looks just as impressive on the table. When the ingredients are this good, you don’t need to do much to them, and is there any better fruit in the world than a ripe cherry? Perhaps only one picked straight off the tree.

I first made this galette after picking cherries at an event hosted by Cherry Time to launch the cherry season. We visited the farm near Worcester to learn how cherries are grown, then sat down to a picnic in the orchard.

Cherries are my favourite fruit, and the season is short, so make the most of it while it lasts. Cherry Time sells boxes directly from their site, with delivery to selected areas in Cape Town and the surrounds.

I adore cherries in desserts, but because they’re so seasonal, I rarely get to use them fresh. It makes a world of difference. Pitting 3 cups of fruit is a bit of a labour of love, but with a metal cherry pitter it goes quickly. It’s a great job to get the family involved in.

What Is a Galette?

A galette is a French pastry, like a flat, free form tart. A buttery, flaky crust gets folded over a filling of fresh fruit, jam or even savoury ingredients. Almost any fruit works, but these are some of the most popular:

• Apples
• Pears
• Peaches
• Berries, such as blueberries, raspberries or blackberries
• Plums
• Cherries
• Apricots

Choose fruit that’s in season, ripe but not too soft. That way the filling is full of flavour, and the galette holds its shape as it bakes. You can swap the cherries in this recipe for the same quantity of any of the fruits above. Just adjust the sugar and lemon to suit.

Tips for the Best Cherry Galette

Taste your cherries first. This galette isn’t overly sweet because I used perfectly ripe cherries and wanted the fruit to shine. If yours are tart or sour, add ½ to ¾ cup sugar instead.

Keep the pastry cold. Cold butter makes the pastry flaky, so chill it before rolling, and pop it back in the fridge if it softens while you work.

Use less cornflour for berries. Berries have more pectin, so they need only 2 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) to set.

Short on Time?

If you don’t have time to make the pastry, use store-bought shortcrust instead. The galette will still be delicious, and the fruit is the star anyway.

Cherry Galette FAQs

How do I pit cherries without a cherry pitter?

Push a sturdy straw or a chopstick through the stem end of each cherry to pop out the pit. You can also halve the cherries with a small knife and flick the pit out.

Can I use other fruit instead of cherries?

Yes. Use the same quantity of apricots, plums, peaches, apples, pears or berries. Adjust the sugar to the fruit’s sweetness, and use only 2 Tbsp cornflour for berries.

How many people does a cherry galette serve?

This recipe makes one galette that serves 6 to 8 people.

The Best Cherry Galette with Flaky Sour Cream Pastry Recipe

Juicy, in-season cherries baked in an easy, buttery sour cream pastry. A rustic summer dessert that's simpler than pie and serves 6 to 8.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:40 minutes mins

Cook Time:45 minutes mins

Ingredients

PASTRY

• 160 grams flour
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp caster or granulated sugar
• 115 grams cold butter cut into small cubes
• ¼ cup full-fat sour cream

FILLING

• 3 slightly heaped cups fresh cherries pitted
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp cornflour cornstarch
• Pinch of salt
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

TO FINISH

• 1 egg beaten
• Sugar for sprinkling
• Vanilla ice cream to serve

Instructions

• For the pastry, whisk the flour, salt and sugar together in a large bowl. If the butter is very hard, leave it at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.
• Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it starts to clump together. Add the sour cream and mix to form a dough. If it’s too wet, add a little more flour. If it’s too dry, add a splash more sour cream.
• Gather the dough together without overworking it. Flatten it into a disc about 2 cm thick, wrap it tightly and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
• For the filling, stir the cherries, sugar, cornflour, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla together in a bowl until the fruit is evenly coated.
• Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a circle about 30 cm (12 inch) wide. Roll it loosely over your rolling pin and transfer it to the lined tray.
• Pile the filling into the centre, leaving a wide border. Fold the edges up over the fruit, overlapping the pastry as you go. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is golden and the fruit is bubbling. After about 10 minutes, cover the galette loosely with foil to stop it browning too much.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

Sweetness: this galette isn’t overly sweet because ripe cherries need little help. If your cherries are tart or sour, use ½ to ¾ cup sugar instead.

Make ahead: pit the cherries and make the pastry the day before. Keep the wrapped pastry in the fridge overnight.

Other fruit: swap the cherries for the same quantity of apricots, plums, peaches, apples, pears or berries. Adjust the sugar and lemon to suit the fruit. Berries have more pectin, so use only 2 Tbsp cornflour.

Frozen cherries: I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen cherries. If you try it, thaw them first, drain off the excess liquid and add a little extra cornflour. Short on time: use store-bought shortcrust pastry instead of homemade.

Storage: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheating: warm slices in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes to crisp up the pastry.

Servings: 6

Author: Sam Linsell

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