Blackberry Galette

Galettes are one of my favorite tarts to bake. Not only are they delicious, but they’re easy to make and don’t require any special equipment because the crust is shaped by hand right on a baking sheet. This Blackberry Galette is a wonderfully easy dessert to make when you find yourself with a few cups of fresh blackberries to use up. The blackberries are wrapped in a buttery homemade pie crust that becomes light and crisp in the oven, providing a nice contrast to the sweet, juicy berries. The tart is rustic, yet beautiful, and it is a showstopper every time I serve it.

I used fresh blackberries in this galette, however frozen berries can also be used. If you are going with frozen berries, do not defrost them before baking. I recommend tasting your berries before adding them to the tart. Some berries are a bit more tart than others, and if yours are on the tart side, I recommend adding in an additional tablespoon or two of sugar. If yours are perfectly ripe and sweet, the small amount of sugar given in the recipe below should be perfect. Serve this tart when it is still slightly warm or at room temperature, with a small dollop of whipped cream on the side.

The tart is best on the day that it is baked, however the leftovers will still be tasty the next day. If you have leftovers, just cover them loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight. Refrigerating the tart will cause the crust to become softer and a bit soggier, so it is best to avoid it if possible. Fortunately, the tart is perfectly sized for anywhere from 4 to 8 servings (depending on how much of the tart you are willing to share!), so eating it up quickly shouldn’t be a problem.

Blackberry Galette
dough for 1 9-inch pie crust, chilled
16-oz fresh blackberries
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp brown sugar
pinch salt
1 tbsp coarse sugar, for topping

Preheat oven to 375F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough until it is about 10 to 11-inches in diameter. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine blackberries, cornstarch, brown sugar and salt. Stir to combine. Pour berry mixture into the center of the rolled out pie crust and spread into a roughly even layer, leaving a 1 1/2 to 2-inch gap (approximately) around the outside edge of the pie crust. Fold up the edges of the pastry over the blackberry filling. Sprinkle exposed pastry with coarse sugar.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbling.
Allow tart to cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8