Fun Fearless Foodie

I hope I haven’t worn you out on Martha Stewart and free-form pies, because I have one more I just had to share with you—for now anyway.

Spring is here and this strawberry galette with basil whipped cream is the perfect dessert to celebrate the season of bright, fresh, and new beginnings. You start with a basic pâte brisée (French for broken pastry), toss some strawberries with a little sugar and cornstarch, layer in a decorative pattern, dot with butter, brush with egg wash and voilà!

The crust is buttery and flakey and the strawberries (if you buy them fresh and ripe) taste just like strawberries with just a hint of sweetness. I chose to make these into individual galettes since I wasn’t feeding a crowd, but you could easily make one large one. This dessert would make the perfect Easter treat.

Martha suggests that you serve the galette with basil whipped cream, which is light, herby, and refreshing, but in all honesty, this galette would be equally delicious with some whipped cream if you’re short on time or in the mood to keep it simple.

If you’d like a step by step photo guide to assembling a galette, check out my previous post from the Martha Stewart Pies & Tarts Pop-Up. While this recipe only calls for 1/2 a recipe of pâte brisée, make the whole batch and freeze it for another use, like the savory potato/gruyere/red onion tart I’ll be sharing with you later this week.

Pâte Brisée
Recipe courtesy Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts

Makes enough for 2, 9-inch pies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice cold water

1. Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor (or whisk together by hand in a bowl). Add butter and pulse (or cut with a pastry blender) until it resembles coarse meal, with some larger pieces remaining. Drizzle a 1/4 cup of water over mixture and pulse (or mix with a fork) until it just holds together. If dough is too dry, add 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse (or mix with a fork).
2. Divide dough in half onto two pieces of plastic wrap, shape each one into a ball, wrap well, press into a disc, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to a day. If not using the second half of dough right away, wrap again and store in the freezer for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before using.

Strawberry Galette
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts

Makes 4 individual galettes, or one large galette enough for 4 to 6 people

All purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 recipe Pâte Brisée
1 (16-ounce) package strawberries, hulled
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg yolk, for egg wash
1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough out to a large rectangle, 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 4 small rectangles and transfer the dough on the parchment paper to a baking sheet. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill.
3. While the dough is chilling, thinly slice the strawberries and toss with the sugar and cornstarch until evenly coated.
4. Remove the dough and layer the strawberries in concentric circles, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Fold the edge of the dough over the berries, as shown in the picture above, slightly pinching to secure the dough together. Place the galettes back into the fridge for at least 15 minutes; this will ensure the crust doesn’t collapse during baking.
5. Whisk the egg yolk with the water and brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash; sprinkle with sugar. Dot the tops of the galettes with butter. Place in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the crust is cooked through. Serve warm.

Basil Whipped Cream
Recipe courtesy Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup packed basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese

1. Combine cream, basil, and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir until sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl; add mascarpone and whisk until medium peaks form. Cover, refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 hours.