California peach galette

The rustic free-form peach tart of Northern California's farmers' market culture

Origin: United States

From the journey of Peach.

The galette, a free-form, edge-folded tart baked directly on a sheet pan without a tart tin, became the signature summer baking project of Northern California's farmers' market and Chez Panisse-influenced food culture from the 1980s onwards. Alice Waters's philosophy of celebrating the season's best produce with minimal intervention found its ideal expression in the galette: a flaky buttered crust, folded loosely over whatever fruit was at peak ripeness that week, baked until caramelised and barely holding together. Where the French tarte aux pêches is disciplined and architectural, the California galette is deliberately imprecise: its charm lies in the rustic folds, the caramelised juices that leak from the edges, and the fact that any home baker can make it without a tart tin or professional skill. The Central Valley peach; yellow-fleshed, freestone, fragrant, briefly extraordinary at the height of summer; is the fruit this dish was made for. California produces more peaches than any other American state, and the summer abundance of the state's orchards has generated one of the world's greatest fresh peach cultures.

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 175 g plain flour
  • 115 g unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1cm cubes
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt
  • 60 ml ice-cold water

Filling

  • 700 g ripe yellow peaches (about 5–6), stoned and sliced 8mm thick
  • 60 g caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp plain flour or cornflour (to thicken the juices)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Finishing

  • 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water (egg wash)
  • 1 tbsp demerara sugar (for the crust edge)

Method

  1. Make the pastry: combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and rub or pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized butter pieces still visible. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough holds when pressed. Shape into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
  3. Toss the sliced peaches with the caster sugar, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Leave to macerate for 10 minutes; some juice will collect.
  4. Roll the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rough circle, 3mm thick and approximately 35cm in diameter. Transfer to the lined baking sheet.
  5. Arrange the macerating peaches in the centre of the pastry, leaving a 5cm border clear. Spoon any collected juice over the fruit.
  6. Fold the pastry border up and over the outer edge of the fruit, pleating as you go. The centre should remain open. Brush the folded pastry edge with egg wash and scatter with demerara sugar.
  7. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown and the peach juices are bubbling and caramelised at the edges. Allow to cool for 15 minutes on the tray before serving.
  8. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream, crème fraîche, or just as it is.

Notes

The galette is best eaten the day it is made. Leftover galette can be reheated at 150°C for 10 minutes to refresh the pastry. Nectarines make an excellent substitute and require no peeling. A thin spread of almond cream (frangipane) on the pastry before adding the fruit adds richness and helps prevent a soggy base.

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