Almond~Crusted Spiced Apple Galette

“And when you crush an apple with your teeth, say to it in your heart:

Your seeds shall live in my body,
And the buds of your tomorrow shall blossom in my heart,
And your fragrance shall be my breath,
And together we shall rejoice through all the seasons.”
― Kahlil Gibran

A rustic free form apple tart is a fabulous fall dessert.  Called galette or crostata, it is simply an unfussy tart. I love to serve it on a pizza peel to emphasize the casual beauty of this dessert. Adding a medley of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom along with a splash of rum and some bourbon vanilla brings out fall flavors and makes for a very fragrant kitchen as the tart bakes. Everyone’s mouth will be watering by the time dessert is served.  Add ice cream if desired.

• Servings: 6
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Pie crust of your choice, 10-12″ wide

8 c peeled apple slices

1/4 c brown sugar

1/4 c white sugar

1T lemon juice

2 T rum

2 T flour

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1/4 t cardamom

1 t bourbon vanilla bean paste( regular vanilla is fine)

sanding sugar to coat the edges of the pie

1/4 c sliced almonds

1 beaten egg

Preheat oven to 400F.  Roll out your pie dough and transfer onto a parchement lined cooking sheet with low sides.  In a large bowl, toss the apples with the sugars, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste, rum, and spices. Add the flour and toss quickly.  Dump the whole thing in the center of your prepared crust.  Fold over about 2 inches of crust along the edges.  Baste the folded edge of the crust with the egg.  Sprinkle with the sanding sugar.  Gently press  the sliced almonds on the folded edges of crust.

In the center of the oven, bake at 400F for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 375F and bake an additional 45 minutes.  Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.

The dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. You are not going for perfection here.

The seasoned apples in the center of the crust, a good 2 inches of dough left along the edges to fold over.

The folded edges brushed with egg then dusted with sanding sugar.  You will need the edges of parchment paper to lift and transfer the galette to a serving dish.

Press sliced almonds into the crust edge.

The golden beauty. I left the galette on the parchement paper but cut the edges back to the edge of the tart for presentation’s sake.

The Basket of Apples, 1893, Paul Cézanne, Art Institute of Chicago

“To me apples are fruit.  To Cézanne they were mountains.” David Smith, American artist and sculptor, 1906-1965