Strawberry and cherry galette
This summer tart takes the best flavours of the season and serves them as a delicious dessert.
Ingredients
For the filling
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú strawberries, hulled, some quartered and some left whole
- 500g/1lb 2oz cherries, half pitted, half left whole
- 2 tbsp palm sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds removed and pod retained
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 3 tsp cornflour
- freshly ground black pepper
For the pastry
- 200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú granulated brown sugar
- 1 lemon, fine zest only
- 125²µ/4½´Ç³ú butter, diced
- 4 tbsp iced water
- 1 free-range egg yolk, beaten
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú ground almonds
For the cream
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú cream cheese
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú mascarpone
- ½ vanilla pod, seeds removed
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú icing sugar
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú double cream
For the sauce
- 200g/7oz fresh strawberries, hulled
- 200g/7oz fresh cherries, pitted
- 1 tbsp kirsch
Method
For the filling, put the strawberries, cherries, sugar, vanilla seeds and pod, cinnamon, star anise and cornflour in a bowl and stir to combine. Season with a small amount of pepper and leave to infuse for an hour.
For the pastry, place the flour, sugar and lemon zest in a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture starts to form a breadcrumb texture. Slowly add the water and combine until a dough starts to come together. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a circle that is about 30cm/12in in diameter and the thickness of a pound coin.
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
Remove the vanilla pod, cinnamon stick and star anise from the fruit filling. Brush the pastry all over with the egg and spoon the fruit into the centre of the pastry. Pinch or fold the edges of the pastry to create a pastry case. Sprinkle the almonds over the top of the filling. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked and golden.
For the sauce, put the strawberries, cherries and kirsch into a medium saucepan over a medium heat and cook until the fruit is soft and starting to breakdown.
Transfer to a blender and blitz, pass through a sieve back into the saucepan.
For the cream, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, vanilla and icing sugar in a bowl until smooth. Pour in the double cream and stir until combined.
To serve, cut the galette into slices and serve with the cream and sauce.
