BAKING PARTNERS - APRICOT CHERRY GALETTE

OUR Baking partner’s challenge this month is a Galette, an open pie pastry. It was suggested by Suja of Kitchen Corner try it.  Galettes make a wonderful rustic fall fruit dessert.

APRICOT CHERRY GALETTE

1 cup All purpose flour

1/2 cup Cake Flour

1/2 cup Chilled Unsalted Butter, chopped

2 tablespoons Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Salt

4 tablespoons Ice water

3 apricots, sliced

1 cup cherries, pitted

Juice of 1 Lemon

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cornstarch

• In a bowl mix flour, salt and sugar. 
• Add butter pieces to the flour. Using a pastry blender cut in through the flour, rapidly till the mixture becomes coarse. The flour will look like large flakes and the butter in the size of peas. If you are using a food processor, first pulse the flour, sugar and butter. Then add the butter and pulse for 7- 8 times till the dough attains the above mentioned texture.
• Slowly add ice cold water, 2 tablespoons at a time and mix until the dough starts coming together, making sure that the dough masses together roughly but the butter pieces remain about the same size.
• Transfer this onto a lightly floured work surface.
• Flatten into a rectangle rapidly with heel of your palm. 
• Rapidly pat and smooth the top. 
• Lift the dough off work surface using a pastry sheet. 
• Flip the bottom of the rectangle to the middle and the top down to cover it like an envelope.
• Tuck the two sides towards the bottom. 
• Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour to relax the gluten.

• Meanwhile make the filling. 
• Toss together the apricots and cherries.
• Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and lemon juice.
• Toss fruit with lemon juice mixture. Set Aside.

• Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
• Remove dough from the fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. 
• Roll into 1/8 inch thick circles. You can use a plate to cut into the desired size. Fold the disk into half and gently transfer into the baking sheet. Unfold it and sprinkle a mixture of flour and sugar. You will need around two tablespoons. 
• Arrange the fruit mixture in a single layer in the center of the disc leaving 3 inches border. 
• Fold the edge up over the filling forming loose pleats. Gently press the pleats so that it stick together. 
• Sprinkle with coarse sugar. 
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the pastry is golden brown. 
• Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down a bit in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack.