Makes one 9” or six 4” galettes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pastry Ingredients
1-1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, chilled and cut into ¼ pieces
4 Tablespoons Vegetable Shortening, chilled
3 to 4 Tablespoons of Ice Water
Pastry Directions
Pulse flour, salt and sugar in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
Add butter and pulse to mix in five 1-second bursts. Add shortening and continue pulsing until flour resembles coarse cornmeal. Turn mixture into a medium bowl.
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Press down on down on dough with a spatula until dough sticks together, adding 1 more tablespoon of ice water until dough holds together. Form the dough into a flattened ball about 4” diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to two days.
Almond Cream Ingredients
1 Large Egg White
3 Tablespoons Confectioner’s Sugar
3 Tablespoons Finely Ground Almonds
2 Teaspoons Melted Butter
¼ Teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
Almond Cream Directions
Whisk egg white and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl until frothy, about one minute. Add almonds, butter and almond extract. Whisk. Refrigerate.
Filling Ingredients
3 Firm, Ripe Pears
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1-1/2 Teaspoons Grated Lemon Zest
¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons butter, cut into small bits
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Water
Filling and Galette Assembly Directions
Peel and core pears, then cut into slices about 1/8” thick. Toss in a bowl with lemon juice and zest.
Remove pastry from refrigerate and place on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Roll into one 12” circle. To make one large galette, leave the 12” circle. To make smaller individual galettes, cut 4” circles of pastry (you will need to trim off excess pastry and re-roll the it to make up to 6 galettes). Invert the pastry onto a baking pan lined with a second sheet of parchment paper.
Spread the Almond Cream into the center of the pastry, leaving a 1” border. Arrange pear slices in concentric circles over the cream. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bring up the edges of the pastry , crimping it to form a crust. Evenly scatter bits of butter of top of filling.
Whisk egg with the water in a bowl and brush over the top of the galette.
Bake 20 to 25 minute or until pears are tender and crust is golden. Remove from oven and transfer pan to rack to cool completely.
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