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This rustic dessert is as beautiful as it is delicious. The incredibly easy and versatile pastry dough comes together in a food processor in no time.
This tart is free-form, so the pastry can be rolled into either a round or a rectangle and folded over your filling. Somehow that seems easier to me than laying it in a pie plate and doing the fancy little edge. This is fold and bake. Its beauty is in the rustic look to the dessert.
The vodka, especially when ice cold, helps make your crust flaky. Why? Well, the vodka incorporates the butter and flour, without developing the gluten in the flour. Too much gluten means a tough crust. But gluten can’t develop with alcohol.
You can use any alcohol in your favorite crust recipe. Simple swap half of the liquid used for alcohol.
It doesn’t have to be vodka, either. Use apple brandy in a crust for apple pie. Limoncello in a crust for lemon meringue pie, etc.
Looking for more dessert recipes? Please give these delicious recipes a try:
PrintA rustic dessert that is easier than it looks and very delicious. Apples, honey, and apple butter in a flaky, free form crust that will impress everyone at your holiday table.
PASTRY
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, frozen and grated using a box grater.
3 tablespoons ice-cold vodka
2 tablespoons ice water
TOPPING
4 Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey, preferably wildflower
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup apple butter
In a food processor, combine the flour with the sugar, salt and butter and process for about 5 seconds. Sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture and process until the pastry just begins to come together, about 10 seconds; you should still be able to see small pieces of butter in it. Transfer the pastry to a work surface, gather it together and pat into a disk. Wrap the pastry in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate until chilled. (You can also roll out the pastry and use it right away.)
Peel, halve and core the apples and slice them crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Set aside the larger center slices and coarsely chop the end slices and any broken ones; about half of the slices should be chopped. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
Preheat the oven to 400°. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 12-by-14-inch rectangle and transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the chopped apples over the pastry to within 1 inch of the edge. Drizzle the honey over the chopped apples. Decoratively arrange the apple slices on top in concentric circles or in slightly overlapping rows. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the apples and dot with the pieces of butter and the apple butter. Fold the pastry edge up and over the apples to create a 1-inch border.
Bake the galette for about 1 hour, until the pastry is nicely browned and crisp and all of the apples are tender. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the galette cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Make Ahead: The buttery pastry can be refrigerated overnight. Roll out when ready to bake.