Apple Butter Galette

If you are not a pie baker, making a galette is the easiest way to show off your fancy baking skills, with little to no skill at all. It's the perfect addition to the fall dessert table when all the pie plates are filled with pumpkin and pecan instead. You can use a store-bought pie shell if you are not a pastry maker. Just let it thaw so you can flatten it and roll just a little bigger.

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Ingredients...

Filling:

• 5 1/2 cups peeled and sliced apples such as Honey Crisp, Courtland, Golden Delicious, Ida Red, Pink Lady*
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Pinch salt

Topping: 

• 1 tbsp butter, cubed
• 1 egg + 1 tbsp water
• Course sugar (Sugar In The Raw brand)

Pastry: 

• 1 single crust pie dough, chilled
• 3/4 cup apple butter** (we love locally made Wellesley brand)

*See Tips For Making The Recipe below

Method...

1. Preheat oven to 425 F with the rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Filling: In a large bowl, toss the apples with the brown sugar, lemon juice and salt. Set aside.
3. Pastry: Place the chilled dough on a floured work surface and let it soften for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature.
4. Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour and using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 14-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Rotate as you roll, adding a light dusting of flour so the pastry does not stick to the counter.
5. Fold the dough in half, then in half again so it looks like a triangle and transfer to the parchment lined baking sheet. Unfold so that it forms a circle again.
6. Spread the apple butter in a thin, even layer over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
7. Starting about 2-inches in from the outside edge, begin making three concentric circles of apples, layering one apple slice over the other in a shingle format, working from the outside to the centre.
8. Using kitchen scissors to cut slits from the edge of the pastry to the start of the apple slices, in 3 to 4-inch intervals around the circumference of the dough. Fold the flaps towards the outer edge of the apple circle to make a decorative border. Press lightly to seal. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
9. When ready to bake, place the cubes of butter over the top of the apples and brush the edge of the pastry with the egg/water mixture. Sprinkle the tart all over with the course finishing sugar
10. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the crust is a deep brown and apples are tender. Transfer to a cooling rack, and allow tart to cool. Use parchment to transfer to a cutting board and slice.

Makes one 10-inch galette

SHOP THE RECIPE

• Dreamfarm Flapple OR OXO Good Grips Apple Wedger
• Sheet Pan
• Rolling Pin
• Pastry Brush
• OXO Steel Pie Server OR Nogent Cake Server

Tips For Making This Recipe:

• The best apples to use for a dessert like a pie or galette are firm, tart-to-balanced varieties that hold their shape during baking instead of turning to mush. The best varieties are Braeburn, Northern Spy, Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious and Courtland. For a prize-winning mix, slice up the varieties so you get tartness, shape and sweetness all in one delicious dessert.
• Apple Butter is not apple sauce. If apple butter is not available to you, combine 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce, 2 1/2 tbsp dark brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt in a saucepan. Simmer on medium low heat, stirring constantly, 15 to 20 minutes until applesauce has reduced, darkened and begun to stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Allow to cool completely.
• 3 to 4 apples equals about 1 lb