A few weeks ago on a Friday afternoon, the boyfriend, Phoebe, and I piled into the car and drove to a nearby apple orchard and pumpkin patch for some good old-fashioned fall-time fun. It was our first visit to Wasem Fruit Farm, but we will certainly be going back (if not this year, then in subsequent years for sure!) – the grounds were incredibly scenic and Phoebe had a blast, sniffing everything within reach. We left with a jug of cider, a bag of doughnuts, and of course, far more apples than we needed.
The first thing on my apple baking to-do list? A caramel apple galette! I used the same French pastry crust (pâte brisée) as I did for the strawberry rhubarb galette I made last spring – don’t let the fancy name scare you, though – it’s really quite easy to make! Simply put, this galette…is marvelous. I can’t think of any better way to end a meal on a chilly evening than a warm slice of this galette, stuffed with apples and cinnamon-y goodness and topped with melty caramel!
I had every intention of freezing one of the two galettes that this recipe makes, but “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry,” you know? We couldn’t seem to keep away, and alas, we are now galette-less…but at least there are still enough apples to make about eleventy-billion more galettes!
What are your favorite recipes involving apples?
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 1-2 tablespoons vodka
- 7 medium apples (about 2 1/4 pounds), cored, peeled, and cut into slices 1/3-1/2 inch thick
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
- 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons water (if needed)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1-2 tablespoons apricot, peach, or apple jam, melted
- 5 ounces caramels
- 1 tablespoon water
- Combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined. Cut butter into cubes and add to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely crumbly.
- Add the ice water, processing until the mixture holds together when pressed – it should not be overly sticky or moist. If you have already added a full 1/4 cup of water and the mixture is still crumbly, add up to 2 tablespoons of vodka. Remove the dough from the food processor and divide in half. Shape each half into a flattened disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.4. In a large bowl, combine apple slices, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Transfer the mixture to a skillet and heat over medium until the liquid from the apples becomes slightly viscous. If the juice thickens too quickly and seems overly sticky, add up to 1 1/2 tablespoons of water.
- On a well-floured piece of parchment paper, roll out each disk of dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Slide the circles, along with the parchment paper, onto rimmed baking sheets.
- Divide the apple mixture in two and spoon half into the center of each dough circle, leaving about 1.5 inches on either side for folding. Fold the edges of the dough inward, pinching together as needed to form a seam.
- Brush the outer edges of the dough with beaten egg.
- Bake for 40 minutes, switching the lower baking sheet to the upper rack and the upper baking sheet to the lower rack at the 20-minute mark.
- Remove the galettes from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. As they cool, brush the exposed apples with melted jam to keep them from appearing dried out.
- In a small saucepan, combine caramels and water. Heat until melted, then drizzle the melted caramel on top of the apple slices with a spoon.
- Makes 2 9-inch galettes (serves 8-12).
- I use Granny Smith apples, but feel free to use whatever variety is your favorite for baking.
- Pâte brisée adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Your galette looks simply scrumptious! I visited Wasem a few weeks ago with my parents and we loved it! I got a ton of apples too and I decided to make some apple butter 🙂 Happy Monday!
Thank you!! Apple butter sounds mighty tasty…I’ll have to add that to my cooking/baking to-do list 🙂
My favorite recipe involving apples is now this one. Wow, this looks incredible!
Haha, thanks! You’re so sweet.
Yay for an abundance of apples! Love the caramel “shortcut” if it’s okay to call it that 😛
Haha yes, that…didn’t feel like making homemade caramel sauce this time. I figured 10 steps was plenty!
I think I’m looking at a new Thanksgiving dessert tradition at our house!
I’m sure you’ll love it! 🙂
Mmmm 🙂 can’t go wrong with caramel apple!
Exactly! I’m glad we agree 🙂
I don’t think I could bear to stow the second galette in the freezer either. Too good not to enjoy immediately!
Very true! In fact, that’s how I justified it…”Oh, well, it’s much better fresh!” 😉
Looks delicious! This dish just moved into the #1 spot on my Thanksgiving Food Wishlist :))
Thanks! Oh gosh, I haven’t even started thinking about Thanksgiving menus yet…
I’m such a huge galette lover and this looks absolutely amazing. I wish I had this right now. Love it
Thank you! I had never heard of galettes until about two years ago, but I’ve certainly become a fan as well 🙂
Your galette looks flawless! I mean ya know, flawlessly rustic exactly how galettes should, haha.
Seriously, this looks so good!
Haha yes, I know exactly what you mean 🙂 Thanks so much!
This is gorgeous!! I love this!
Aw, thank you!
Yup! I’m baking this over the weekend. Thanks
You’re very welcome, and thanks for stopping by! Enjoy 🙂
Such a gorgeous looking apple galette!!
Thank you 🙂
This galette is so beautiful! What I wouldn’t do to have a slice right now. Yum. When I have a surplus of apples, I love to saute them with some butter and sugar and serving them on top of french toast!
Thank you! Mmm…sauteed apples over French toast sounds delicious – I’ll have to give that a try 🙂
I just made a galette for the first time in so long earlier this fall too. They are so easy. Your crust looks flakey and delicious.
Thanks 🙂 I sometimes wonder why I don’t make galettes more often, given how easy they are…
Everytime I come here, I want to giggle at your blog name! I don’t know why I find it so funny – maybe because sometimes I DO actually make sure I am wearing comfortable clothes (like stretchy fabric dresses!) when I am going somewhere I know I am going to stuff myself! I love this galette – the vodka in the pastry has me fascinated! I have never heard of it. I’m going to go do some research!
I’m glad to hear the blog name makes you smile! The vodka in the dough has the benefit of making it moister, so it’s easier to work with, but it doesn’t contribute to gluten formation, too much of which will make the crust tough. I hope you get a chance to try it! 🙂