Blueberry Galette with Almond Crust

So what do you make when you husband brings home bowls of fresh blueberries?  I found myself pondering this question last weekend.  You may have seen my updates on instagram as I made this very important decision, finally deciding on a blueberry galette.  Galette is a french word referring to a flat round "cake" made of flaky pastry.  

It was a very good decision.  Make that a delicious crispy crust with soft juicy blueberries decision.  This is a very crispy crust and there is a little secret to this crispy crust...vodka.  If you are completely against adding liquor to your recipes, you will be fine to use water in place of the vodka.  If you don't mind a few spirits in your food and drink, I would go with the vodka.  

After making the dough, form a round and refrigerate it for several hours or overnight.  

Almonds are a main ingredient in this crust.  Pulse them in your food processor to get small crumbs.  Almonds in any form will do since you are chopping them up... sliced, slivered, or whole.  

Roll the dough (it will take some effort) onto a wax paper lined counter.  Then invert a buttered pizza pan over the dough and lift the dough sheet onto the pizza pan so that the wax paper side is up.  Then gently lift the wax paper off the dough and discard.  

Now you have a dough lined pan.  

Next, make the filling and place it in the center of the dough.  

Place small pats of butter over the filling.  Then fold up the edges of the dough around the filling.   Lastly, brush the dough with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Ready for the oven!

Beautiful, a rustic masterpiece of flaky pastry and sweet juicy berries.  Serve with berry topping and whipped cream or ice cream.  

For a printable recipe, copy and paste this into a word document and print.

Blueberry Galette with Almond Crust

Ingredients: 

Crust:
1/2 cup toasted almonds (bake at 350 F for 6-8 minutes to toast)
2 cups flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cubed
3 Tbsp. ice cold water
3 Tbsp. chilled vodka

Filling:  
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup sugar plus 1-2 Tbsp. more as needed to taste
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter, cut up

Topping:
2 cups fresh blueberries
3 Tbsp. sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Egg wash:
1 egg beaten
1 Tbsp. sugar to sprinkle on top

Directions:

1. To prepare crust, pulse almonds in a food processor until small crumbs. Stir together ground almonds, flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Cut cold butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until mixture resembles small peas. Gradually stir in ice-cold water and vodka just until dry ingredients are moistened. (Add up to 2 additional Tbsp. ice-cold water, if necessary.) Shape into a disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate a few hours or overnight.

2.  To prepare Topping, mix together 2 cups blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

3. Unwrap chilled dough, place on wax paper lined counter (lay two sheets overlapping slightly to give it enough width); sprinkle lightly with flour.  Roll to a 14- to 15-inch circle.  Then invert a buttered pizza pan over the dough and lift the dough sheet onto the pizza pan so that the wax paper side is up. Then gently lift the wax paper off the dough and discard.  

4. To prepare filling, place 4 cups blueberries in a bowl.  Sprinkle sugar, flour, and lemon juice over the berries.  Stir to combine.  Spoon the filling into the center of  the dough.  Place small pats of butter over the filling. Then fold up the edges of the dough around the filling. Lastly, brush the dough with beaten egg and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. sugar.  (Do not make filling ahead or it will become too juicy.)  Freeze 15 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 425°. Bake on lower oven rack 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden. Transfer to a wire rack; cool 30 minutes. Serve with berry topping and whipped cream or ice cream. Garnish with mint leaves if desired.  

Adapted from Southern Living.

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