When I lived in Paris last year, I went into my little French infant school one day and was greeted with a little slice of something I'd never heard of before. Being a complete sucker for a decent Sunday roast and cup of tea, I have to admit I can sometimes be quite blasé when it comes to foreign foods. I think this is in part because of my complete, unrelenting love affair with a good roast tatty, but also because I lived with a Korean guy in my first year of university and the things he used to keep in the fridge have put me off foreign food for life. So, in short, I was very skeptical of this little foreign delicacy being pushed towards me on a plate in the staff room.
But like in most other aspects of my life, I was quickly proved wrong. This little baby is a delight. And because it's French, you feel so chic baking it. And even chic-er eating it. Also, I would normally skip all the bits where it says to leave pastry to chill (ain't nobody got time for that), but I urge you to follow this recipe religiously or your galette might not rise! Okay, let's go.
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Ingredients: 750g ready made all butter puff pastry // 3 free range eggs (1 to glaze and 1 yolk) // 100g unsalted butter // 100g caster sugar // 100g ground almonds // 50g flaked almonds // 1teaspoon almond extract
Method: line a baking tray in baking parchment. Roll out half of the pastry until it is about 25cmx25cm and slightly thicker than a pound coin. Cut a circle into the pastry (essentially chop of the corners!), pop onto the baking tray and cover in cling film. Repeat this process with the other half of the pastry and lay this one on top of the other one. Let 'em chill for a while.
Meeeeanwhile, filling time! Mix together the butter and sugar until fluffy. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg with 1 egg yolk and then gradually add this to butter and sugar. When this mixture gets very light, stir in the ground almonds, flaked almonds and almond extract. Cover this with cling film and let it chill for a while with the pastry. 15-20 minutes will do.
When cooled, remove the top layer of pastry from the baking tray and set aside. Spoon the filling onto the bottom layer, leaving a 2cm gap around the edge (it can mound up in the middle a little!). Brush the edge with the beaten egg and lay the second layer of pastry on top, pressing down on the edges to seal. You can pinch around the edges too for a tighter seal, plus it looks pretty! Yay!
Brush the top of your galette with more beaten egg and let him get chilly again in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Score your galette with a knife, and then make a couple of small holes in the centre. Bake for 20-30 minutes!
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I realise this recipe may seem a little long winded and not as straight forward as my easy
flapjack recipe, but it is
so worth the results at the end. My personal opinion is that it tastes best freshly out of the oven when it's still warm, but it lasts in the fridge for a few days too for anyone who doesn't think they can eat it all in one go (read: anyone who is not me).