This easy recipe for making a puff pastry apple galette is all the things comforting and delicious about fruit desserts. The flaky crust loaded with cinnamon apples is the right combination of sweet and tart. One slice and you will fall in love.
It is my take on the classic French dessert but with a Southern twist. My recipe for apple galette is a free-form pie made in a cast iron skillet. I love the rustic look of a galette plus it is fun to make.
This apple tart is simple but comforting. It's best served with ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. But don't take my word for it, bake one yourself.
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Ingredients for Apple Galette
This recipe starts with ingredients similar to any homemade apple pie filling. Crisp apples that are sweet and tart make the best baking apples. I used Granny Smith apples.
Plus some sugar, spices, & a bit of flour to thicken up the gooey apple center. All of this is baked in sheets of puff pastry instead of a regular pie crust.
This is a simple recipe with minimal ingredients. The apple galette is made without apricot jam/preserves like other recipes.
- Apples - the best baking apple varieties are Granny Smith, Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, or a combination. I recommend Granny Smith for a tart flavor that balances well with brown sugar.
- Brown Sugar - the deep rich caramel-molasses flavor & color are better than regular granulated sugar.
- Lemon Juice - citrus flavor to compliment the apples and sugar.
- Vanilla - floral notes that's in every great apple dessert.
- All-Purpose Flour - to help thicken the filling as the apple juices & sugars develop.
- Nutmeg - the perfect spice in apple galettes.
- Cinnamon - a must-have warm spice in any apple dessert.
- Puff Pastry Sheets - the frozen store-bought sheets for the base of this galette; any brand such as Pepperidge Farm or Dufour.
- Egg - optional egg wash that results in a beautiful golden sheen on the puff pastry.
See the recipe card for quantities & full instructions.
How to Make Apple Galette with Puff Pastry
Like my recipe for Strawberry Peach Cobbler, this apple galette is made in a cast iron skillet. You will need one that's at least 10" in size. I used my big 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet. If you do not have a cast iron skillet, any oven-safe non-stick pan will work. (or add butter to a pan without a nonstick finish)
Both the frozen puff pastry sheet and the egg need to come to room temperature. Place them both on the counter 20-30 minutes before you want to begin cooking the galette.
Preheat the oven to 350° while prepping the filling & rolling the puff pastry.
Here are the easy steps for making Puff Pastry Apple Galette:
- Prep the Apple Galette Filling
- Roll & Fill the Puff Pastry
- Bake the Apple Galette
1 - Prep the Apple Galette Filling
Once the puff pastry sheet is thawed, grab your cast iron skillet & the rest of the ingredients.
Wash, peel, & core the apples. Next, slice them thinly as seen above.
It is important to make them uniform in size so they cook evenly. Do not make them too thick or the apples will take too long to soften & cook - which may result in the puff pastry being well-done or burnt.
Add the apple slices to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients; brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, flour, cinnamon, & nutmeg.
Mix all the filling ingredients carefully. It is okay if the apples start to brown quickly. Mine did because these organic beauties are from my tree & oxidize quickly.
TIP - Use your hands to gently toss the filling together. This helps combine it all while ensuring the apples do not break and stay intact.
2 - Roll and Fill the Puff Pastry
Unfold the puff pastry sheet and place it on a large cutting board or your clean counter/work surface that has been dusted with flour. Add flour to a rolling pin so that the dough does not stick.
Roll the puff pastry out until it is about 50% larger. Gently lift the dough and place it in the skillet.
The thinner version should be big enough to cover your skillet with some hanging over the edge.
Pile up the apple filling in the middle of the puff pastry. There should be 1 inch or more of dough surrounding the filling.
Fold the puff pastry edges over the apple filling. The center will leave uncovered apples and look as seen above.
OPTIONAL - in a small bowl whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, brush a thin layer of egg wash over the puff pastry crust. Only about ¼ of the egg wash will be needed.
3 - Bake the Apple Galette
Place the skillet on the center rack of the oven preheated to 350°.
Bake the puff pastry apple galette for 40 minutes. It will be done when the apples are soft and tender and the filling is bubbling. The puff pastry will be golden brown & flaky.
Using oven mitts, carefully remove the galette from the oven. Let the galette cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serving & Topping Ideas
The best way to serve an apple galette is a la mode. Top it with your favorite ice cream & serve warm.
Add scoops of vanilla ice cream. Do this on the whole galette or slice and then top individual servings.
Next, drizzle on some caramel sauce for the best way to serve a warm apple galette.
I love vanilla ice cream, my favorite, but don't stop there. Try fun other flavors like peaches & cream ice cream or fresh banana ice cream.
Substitutions & Variations
Try a recipe option with these variations and ingredient swaps. Modify, add, exclude, or replace to create a delicious recipe catering to a variety of cultural, dietary, health, or personal nutritional needs & tastes.
Substitutions
- Puff Pastry - use a gluten-free brand such as Schar pastry dough to make this gluten-free
- Vanilla - use almond extract instead for an old-fashioned flavor.
For a gluten-free dessert try my recipe for Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler.
Variations
- Combo - use 2 kinds of apples for a variety.
- Raisin - add ¼ cup raising to the apple filling before baking.
- Nutty - add ¼ cup slivered or sliced almonds.
Equipment Needed
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Storing & Reheating
The leftover galette can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Place in a container with a lid or cover with plastic wrap.
To reheat, warm a slice for 45 seconds in the microwave. Slices can also be warmed up in an oven at 400° for 5-7 minutes.
Top Tips
All of these great tips are shared in the post. But these are so good and important they are worth mentioning again so you don't miss them.
- Use the right apples; ones good for baking and that have a sweet-tart flavor combination.
- Plan ahead and bring the puff pastry and egg to room temperature.
- Cut the apples into uniform slices ¼" thick so they cook evenly and are done before the puff pastry burns.
- Use your hands to toss together the filling ingredients so there are no broken slices.
- Serve warm with ice cream & caramel sauce for a dessert that will WOW!
FAQ
To keep an apple galette from getting soggy, the key is to make sure the filling isn't runny. Too much sugar or juice from the apples can cause any tart or cust to get soggy. This is why a bit of flour & using the right kind of apples for baking is important for a thick filling.
If you do not have a pan big enough or one that can go into the oven, you can still make this recipe. Bake the galette on a sheet pan or baking sheet. The freeform style of rolling, filling, & folding the puff pastry will still work.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these other homemade fruit desserts:
Puff Pastry Apple Galette
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry defrosted at room temperature
- 3-4 apples peeled, cored, & sliced into ¼ inch slices (about 4.5 cups)
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 egg (plus 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Bring the puff pastry and egg to room temperature. It takes about 20 minutes for the frozen sheets to thaw.
- Preheat oven to 400°. (bake 40 minutes)
- Wash, peel, & core the apples. Next, slice them thinly. Keep slices rougly ¼" thick and uniform in size. This ensures the apples cook evenly & are done before the puff pastry overcooks.
- Add the apple slices to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients; brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, flour, cinnamon, & nutmeg.Using your hands, gently mix the filling ingredients together.
- Add a dusting of flour to a rolling pin and a large cutting board or work surface. Unfold the pastry sheet and place on the floured surface. Roll the puff pastry out until it is about 50% larger. The thinner version should be big enough to cover your skillet with some hanging over the edge.
- Gently lift the dough and place it in the skillet. Pile up the apple filling in the middle of the puff pastry. There should be 1 inch or more of dough surrounding the filling.
- Fold the puff pastry edges over the apple filling. The center will leave uncovered apples and look as seen above.
- OPTIONAL - in a small bowl whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, brush a thin layer of egg wash over the puff pastry crust. Only about ¼ of the egg wash will be needed.
- Place the skillet on the center rack of the oven preheated to 350°. Bake the puff pastry apple galette for 40 minutes. It will be done when the apples are soft and tender and the filling is bubbling. The puff pastry will be golden brown & flaky.
- Using oven mitts, carefully remove the galette from the oven. Let the galette cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Top with scoops of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce. Slice into wedges and plate. Or cut into 8 equally sized pieces and plate each one. Add ice cream, caramel sauce, or whipped cream if desired.
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 8 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 205 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 7.1g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat 3.3g | 17% |
| Cholesterol 20mg | 7% |
| Sodium 98mg | 4% |
| Total Carbohydrate 35g | 13% |
| Dietary Fiber 3.8g | 14% |
| Total Sugars 19.7g | |
| Protein 3.1g | |
| Vitamin D 2mcg | 10% |
| Calcium 10mg | 1% |
| Iron 1mg | 8% |
| Potassium 154mg | 3% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
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Jennifer Wise says
This looks amazing. I think puff pastry would be so much better than a traditional crust. But then I love puff pastry. 🙂 Pinning! Visiting from Wonderful Wednesday blog hop.
Angela says
You are right, the puff pastry makes this better than the same old pie crust. Thanks for pinning.
Jennifer Wise says
Thanks so much for sharing this post at the Will Blog for Comments #14 linkup! Hope to see you there next week as well.
Esme Slabbert says
Superb and outstanding, love galette.