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Tag: galette

Vegan Peach Galette
I have been all about the peaches lately. I made some peach scones and peach ice cream last week, and I have been eating them like crazy plus I made this peach galette. I was craving a peach pie, but I didn’t want to go through the extra effort to make one, so I went with a galette. It was a work day after all, and easy recipes are needed after you are all tired from working all day. Galettes are perfect for that! They are way less fussy than pies because they are rustic, so if the crust isn’t perfect it is ok, and you only need to deal with one crust not two.

It only took me about 15 minutes to make the galette, the crust is fairly simple to make. The trick is just to not over-mix it because then it will be a little tough. But this one came out just right. I used a slightly different ingredient base than I have in the past, keeping the whole wheat pastry flour and almond meal and adding in coconut butter and pecan butter instead of the usual coconut oil. It tasted good before baking it, but would it hold up?

Well, luckily it did! It honestly tasted even better than just the coconut oil. I love nuts in pie crusts, they make them extra delicious! For the filling I kept it really simple because the peaches were so good and flavorful on their own. I wanted to allow them to shine, so I just added a little maple syrup and vanilla plus a touch of lemon juice to them.

The galette baked up beautifully! It smelled so good while baking, I could not wait to try it! Luckily I did not have to wait long, because I like to enjoy these things while still warm from the oven. It was heavenly with a rich crust, jammy peaches baked to tender perfection with a hint of vanilla. My favorite way to enjoy these is with some coconut milk ice cream which I sadly didn’t happen to have on hand (but you might). Next time I guess. If you are in the mood for something similar to peach pie but easier to make, give this a try!

Vegan Peach Galette

Makes 2 8 inch galettes

Ingredients:

Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 3 Tbsp maple sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
- 1/4 cup pecan butter or raw almond butter
- 3-4 Tbsp cold filtered water or as needed
Filling:
- 6 fresh peaches, sliced
- 1/4 cup maple sugar
- juice of one small lemon
- a pinch of sea salt
- maple sugar, for topping
Directions:
1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, meal, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in coconut butter and pecan butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add a touch more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.
2. Roll it out into two 9 inch rounds using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up. Using the parchment to move them, place them on a sheet pan.
3. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. To make filling, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Arrange the peaches over the dough circles, leaving a 1 1/2 inch boarder, then carefully fold up edges to cover the edge of the fruit. Sprinkle with a little sugar. Place in the oven.
5. Bake for 45 minutes (checking after 20 and if it is very brown, if they are tent with foil) until bubbling and fruit is tender. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.
*If you want this to be gluten free, Gluten Free All Purpose Flour will work as well in this recipe (the same amount substituted for the whole wheat flour).
September 14, 2021
Vegan Caramelized Citrus Galette
Now that we are past the shortest day of the year, and we are into January, I feel like things are looking up. Not that the Holidays were bad or anything. I am just one of those people who likes to not have to worry about too many plans in a short period of time, and likes routine and normalcy. I feel like I didn’t know what day of the week it was for the past couple of weeks with the Holidays in the middle of the week, and different days off than I am used too. It feels so good to be back to normal and just do things at a more relaxed pace and enjoy things like just going for a walk outside or making new recipes and relaxing with a book or movie at night. It has been really warm here too for the last couple of days, which is awesome! It is like Spring in January, so I have been trying to get outside everyday instead of just treadmilling it. Also, it has been nice and sunny, not like December which is one of the cloudiest months.

One of those new recipes that I had time to make this week, was a caramelized citrus galette. I typically make galettes with apples, pears or berries, but since it is the peak of citrus season, I thought why not use it in a delicious dessert. I thought about using just oranges, but I love grapefruits and clementines too so I used all three! It ended up being the perfect balance of tart and sweet. I tossed them with a little maple syrup, and a dash of cardamom and I knew this filling was going to be good. I wasn’t sure it they would work out though, since citrus tends to be very juicy, but I solved that problem by saving the extra juices and making a caramel like syrup with rosewater and vanilla to top the finished galette off with.

I love galettes because they are so much easier to make in pies and they bake much faster! No fussy crusts, just one crust to roll and if it doesn’t look perfect, it is ok because it is rustic. It smelled amazing while baking. I love the sunny sweet scent of citrus, and the crust smelled almost buttery. When it was done baking I drizzled it with a reduced orange rosewater caramel syrup and sprinkled it with some crunchy pistachios. It turned out beautifully and it was super delicious! I like it served warm with a scoop of coconut milk ice cream! Take advantage of the lovely citrus this season and give this a try!

Vegan Caramelized Citrus Galette

Crust:
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour*
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut oil in solid state, cut into chunks
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 5-6 Tbsp ice water
Filling:
- 1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced into rounds, juices reserved
- 2 oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds, juices reserved
- 3 clementines, peeled and sliced into rounds juices reserved
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
- pinch of sea salt
- maple sugar or coconut sugar for sprinkling
Orange Caramel Glaze:
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp rose flower water or orange flower water (optional)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
For finishing:
- chopped pistachios for garnish
Instructions:
1. To make crust, combine flour, sea salt, sugar, coconut oil, and almond butter in a bowl, and use a pastry blender to cut into the mixture until it resembles pea sized chunks (you can also use your hands). Add water and mix into the dough. Knead a few times until it comes together (you may need to add an additional Tbsp more water). Shape into and roll out into a 1/4 inch thick circle on a sheet of parchment (you will want to dust the parchment underneath with a little flour and dust the rolling pin too to avoid sticking. If the dough has gotten too warm, place in the refrigerator). Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
2. Put a fine meshed strainer over a bowl, and press each citrus slice one by one into the bottom of the strainer (pressing out some of the juice, but not so hard that you smash them and they don’t look pretty anymore) and set them aside in a bowl. Reserve the juices in the bowl under the strainer for later.
3. Add 3 Tbsp maple syrup, the cornstarch, cardamom, and sea salt to the bowl with the citrus and toss to combine. Arrange fruit mixture on top of the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border all the way around. Fold border over the fruit mixture, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds (it doesn’t have to be perfect, it is rustic).
4. Brush edges of dough with melted coconut oil, sprinkle with sugar, and bake until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling, 45 minutes or so. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool the galette.
5. Meanwhile, add all of the reserved citrus juices plus 3/4 cup orange juice to a small sauce pan along with 3 Tbsp maple syrup. Bring to a boil, and simmer until it is reduced to the consistency of syrup. Add the rose water and vanilla and stir in. Drizzle over the warm galette.
6. Sprinkled the galette with pistachios, and serve warm or at room temperature.
*You may use whole wheat pastry flour if you do not wish to make this gluten free.
January 5, 2019
Vegan Strawberry Lemon Cream Cheese Galette
It is the little things in life that make me happy. For instance, when I went out for a run on Friday I was a bit tired and sluggish, but my spirits were quickly lifted. The lilacs were starting to bloom. Let me tell you, that is one of my favorite times of the year. They smell amazing and running past a row of them is like being in a garden. I am so envious of anyone who has them in their yards. Not only that, they were finally sweeping the streets in my city (sand is really hard to get traction on when you are running on asphalt), and they put the porta potties back out in the parks and along the trails. Trust me, to a runner these things are big. And it all made me so happy! So I went into my day in a super good mood. I decided after work that some baking was in order. I like to bake when I am happy, or at least I have more motivation to! One of my coworkers had made hand pies in the deli I work in and it made me want to make some when I got home. Except, I am a little lazier so I went for making a galette with the same ingredients instead. Trust me, it is a lot less work.

A galette is like a way easier version of pie. You only need one crust, and you don’t have to do anything fancy with it, since it is rustic. I decided to give it an almond crust. I had just gotten a box of goodies from Raw Guru, including some raw almond butter and raw almond meal, so I thought they would be amazing in a crust! As a side note, if you visit the Raw Guru Website and you see something there you want to buy, you can use my coupon code FRAGRANTVANILLA to get 10% off your order!

Back to the galettes, the almond products in the crust were amazing! I like nut crusts for pastries, because it gives them a more rich flavor without adding too much other oil. To be honest, I kept eating chunks of it before I rolled it out, since it tasted kind of like cookie dough. Next, I made some vegan “cream cheese” filling from thick coconut milk and cashew butter with a touch of vanilla and lemon and it was sooo good! I knew it would be amazing with the strawberries!

For the fruit filling I used some fresh organic strawberries I had bought at work since they were on sale, and they were so flavorful and delicious! They barely needed any sweetening, and a touch of lemon juice made them shine! It all baked up beautifully and my kitchen smelled amazing! I could not wait to try it, but unfortunately I had to wait because it needed to cool off before diving in. It was well worth the wait though! Jammy flavorful strawberries, a lemon scented luscious cream cheese layer, and a flaky crust. It was heavenly! If you have strawberries on hand, and are craving pie but you are a bit intimidated by it, give this a try! It is much easier to make!

Vegan Strawberry Lemon Cream Cheese Galette

Makes 1 10 inch galette

Ingredients:

Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
- 1/2 cup Raw Guru raw almond meal
- 3 Tbsp maple sugar or granulated xylitol
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil, in its solid form
- 1/4 cup Dastony raw almond butter
- 2-3 Tbsp filtered water or as needed
Cream Cheese:
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp organic lemon zest
Filling:
- 2 cups fresh organic strawberries, sliced
- 3 Tbsp maple sugar or granulated xylitol
- juice of one small lemon
- a pinch of sea salt
- coconut sugar, for topping
Directions:
1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, meal, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in coconut oil and pecan butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add a touch more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.
2. Roll it out into a 14 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up. Using the parchment to move it, place on a sheet pan.
3. To make the cream cheese, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. To make filling, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.
5. Spread the cream cheese over the crust leaving a 1 1/2 inch boarder. Spread the berries over the cream cheese, then carefully fold up edges to cover the edge of the fruit. Sprinkle with a little sugar. Place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes (checking after 20 and if it is very brown, if they are tent with foil) until bubbling and fruit is tender. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.
*If you want this to be gluten free, Gluten Free All Purpose Flour will work as well in this recipe (the same amount substituted for the whole wheat flour).
May 15, 2018
Vegan Cream Cheese Plum Galette

I love making (and eating mostly) fruit pies, but I am also lazy at times. Don’t get me wrong, I am a really hard worker when it comes to running, or work or things I said I would do for other people, but when it comes to pie, and it is a weeknight, I will make it easier if I can in any way. That is where the galette comes on. The lazy baker’s pie. It has all the flavors of the pie, and the good crust and filling, but it is so much less fussy than a double crust pie. Also, if pie intimidates you, it is a good thing to start off with. I only wanted to deal with one crust that night last week so it was perfect! I had bought some lovely little red plums at the store and this would be the perfect use for them. I could slice them thinly and arrange them on the galette in a pretty fashion.

I always have to have a rich creamy element when it comes to pie too, whether it be serving it with coconut whipped cream or ice cream, or including it in the actual pie, like in the form of vegan cream cheese. I went with the vegan cream cheese for this one. It is just irresistible to have a layer of cream cheese along with the fruit and rich crust! For the crust, I included hazelnut meal because it makes it so good! Trust me, I make all of my crusts with a little nut flour now because it is more melt in your mouth delicious especially when it comes to gluten free baked goods.

I topped the crust off with some delicious vegan cashew coconut cream cheese, then the sweet plums and popped it into the oven. The plums were all jammy and delicious when it had finished baking and I could not wait to try it! When it was cool enough, I dove in. I did not have just one piece, but two because it was sooo good! The rich cream cheese was amazing with the slightly tart jammy plums, and the rich hazelnut crust was perfect paired with it all! If you have flavorful plums on hand, this is a must try. I think sometimes plums don’t get enough attention, but you can’t go wrong with roasting them or baking them into something delicious!

Vegan Cream Cheese Plum Galette

2 galettes

Crust:

3 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill hazelnut meal
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup coconut oil, in its solid form

filtered water as needed

Cream Cheese:

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup raw cashew butter

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp cider vinegar

Filling:

6-7 medium red plums, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

the seeds of one vanilla bean

juice of one small lemon

1/2 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of sea salt

coconut sugar, for topping

maple syrup for brushing

To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, meal, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add a touch of water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Divide into 2 pieces and shape into rounds (if it is too soft, refrigerate for about 15 minutes to firm it up slightly. You want it pliable, but not super soft or it will be hard to shape).

Roll each out into a 14 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up.

To make the cream cheese, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. To make filling, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.

Spread the cream cheese over the crust leaving a 1 1/2 inch boarder. Arrange the plums over the cream cheese, then carefully fold up edges to cover the edge of the fruit. Brush sprinkle with a little coconut sugar. Place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes (checking after 20 and if they are very brown, if they are tent with foil) until bubbling and fruit is tender. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.

*You can also make your own hazelnut meal by grinding up your hazelnuts to flour consistency in the blender. Just don’t blend too much or you may get butter. Also, you may substitute your favorite nut if hazelnuts don’t do it for you.

August 2, 2017
Vegan Caramel Apple Galette
The weather has been just glorious here lately! I am loving these cooler crisp fall mornings and warmer sunny afternoons. To be honest I wish it could be like this year round. 40-50F degrees in the morning and 60-70F degrees in the afternoon is awesome! Sunday was just like that. It was nice and cool for my 10 mile run, and it was nice to not be sweating profusely and have more energy. I always feel energized when the weather is cool, it makes me feel as if I can run farther and faster. Also, the leaves are beautiful, and they are starting to flutter to the ground like confetti. Running through the crunchy leaves makes me happy. Since it was such a beautiful day, I made a trip to Alexis Bailly Vineyard with Eric, and it was the perfect weather for a wine tasting and then a walk along the river in downtown Hastings. Fall days like this are what I look forward to all year round! Also, I did some baking this weekend, a delicious caramel apple tart!

My Grandpa had given me a bunch of locally grown apples a few weeks ago, and I have been making loads of apple goodies. I wanted to make something a little more classic that I could share with him and my family and that is why the apple galette came to mind. It is much easier to make than pie being rustic, and almost impossible to mess up. Not only that, it is as good as pie, bakes faster and you don’t have to worry about 2 crusts. Galettes are one of my favorite fruit desserts. In my pies and galettes, I like to use a mixture of nut flour and regular (well either oat or gluten free usually in my house) flour to make it extra delicious. Trust me, this is the type of pie dough that you sample and go, this is delicious! It tastes kind of like cookie dough in my opinion. Yes, I taste my dough every time. That way I can make sure it will be good once baked, and I am not missing an ingredient like the coconut sugar.

I kept the filling really simple and classic to allow the apples to shine. They were very flavorful apples, a mixture of Honeycrisp and Haralson my favorites for baking. It smelled amazing when I pulled it from the oven. I made a date caramel to top it all off once baked, and it was delicious! I served it with a Golden Chai Spiced Coconut Milk Gelato I recently made and it was crave worthy! Thumbs up from everyone else I shared it with too, our plates were cleaned fast. If you are looking for a delicious way to showcase those fall apples, give this a try!

Vegan Caramel Apple Galette

2 galettes

Ingredients:

Crust:
- 3 cups gluten free oat flour (gluten free all purpose flour will work here too, I use Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1 cup pecan meal (or almond meal)
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, in its solid form
- 1/4 cup raw pecan butter or almond butter
- cool filtered water as needed
Filling:
- 2 large apples, sliced thinly
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- juice of one small lemon
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- a pinch of sea salt
- coconut sugar, for topping
Caramel:
- 3/4 cup pitted dates soaked in filtered water for 3o minutes and drained (1/4 cup soaking water reserved)
- 2 Tbsp raw pecan butter or almond butter
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions:
1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, meal, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in coconut oil and nut butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add a touch of water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Divide into 2 pieces and shape into rounds (if it is too soft, refrigerate for about 15 minutes to firm it up slightly. You want it pliable, but not super soft or it will be hard to shape).
2. Roll each out into a 14 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up.
3. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. To make filling, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Arrange the apples over the crust leaving a 1 inch boarder, then carefully fold up edges to cover the edge of the fruit. Brush sprinkle with a little coconut sugar. Place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes (checking after 20 and if they are very brown, if they are tent with foil) until bubbling and fruit is tender. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.
5. To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth (pass through a fine meshed strainer if there are any chunks left). If the caramel is too thick for drizzling add a little more water. Drizzle over the top of the galette, and serve!
October 11, 2016
Vegan Kumquat Raspberry Galette with Pecan Crust

Kumquats are like nature’s little sweet tarts. They are so delicious, especially to me because I love anything that makes my lips pucker a little bit. I remember when I first bought some years ago in college. I am always buying any sort of new and unusual fruits or veggies that I have not tried before simply because I am curious. And with the kumquats, I wasn’t sure at first how to eat them. Since other citrus you don’t generally eat the skin. But once I tried one, bam! I was hit with the delicious flavor and I loved it. So now, every year I have to buy some when I first see them in the store.

I bought some the other day, and I wanted to try using them in a way I hadn’t before. I often use them thinly sliced in salads, or just eat them as a snack, or as a garnish on top of cakes, but I had not tried them in many cooked applications. My Mom got me a pie book for Christmas, and all of the pies, tarts, and galettes looked so good to me I decided to make a galette. Because I have been hard core craving one all week.

Kumquats in a galette might sound a little unusual, but I am all for things that are not common in desserts. I mixed them with sweet raspberries, and it ended up being sooo good! I know raspberries are not in season, but I am missing that part of summer and I bought some frozen ones. I made a pecan crust for the galette and it turned out wonderfully flaky and nutty.

Just sayin’ maybe your resolution for the year should be to bake more vegan desserts. You will definitely have a lot of fun in the process! I know I do, and it keeps me happy!

Vegan Kumquat Raspberry Galette with Pecan Crust

1 galette

Crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour

1/2 cup pecan meal
2 Tbsp cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, in its solid form

2 Tbsp pecan butter

filtered water as needed

Filling:

2 cups fresh raspberries (if using frozen, thaw out first, and drain off liquid)

2 cups kumquats, sliced

1/3 cup coconut sugar
a pinch of sea salt
1 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot starch

coconut milk, for brushing
coconut sugar, for topping

To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, meal, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in pecan butter and coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add a touch of water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Shape into a round (if it is too soft, refrigerate for about 15 minutes to firm it up slightly. You want it pliable, but not super soft or it will be hard to shape).

Roll out into a 14 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up.

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. To make filling, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour filling into middle of dough rounds (leaving a 1 1/2 inch boarder), then carefully fold up edges to cover the edge of the fruit. Brush edges with a little coconut milk, and sprinkle with sugar. Place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes (checking after 20 and if it is very brown, if it is, tent with foil) until bubbling and fruit is tender. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.

January 4, 2016
Vegan Cream Cheese Apple Galette

Last Friday, I decided to face my fears and run a race. I haven’t ran a race in 4 years. Yes, I run all the time, I haven’t stopped with that. It is a source of joy and makes me feel good and gives me time to think every morning and relieve stress before it happens. But the truth is competition and races scared me a bit after not running other than just for the enjoyment of it. Weird I know because I spent a huge chunk of my life racing almost every weekend. I used to be pretty fast and win almost every race I ran, 16 something 5ks, and I was young and invincible. But then I got injured and the injuries piled up and I was not taking good enough care of myself at the time, so I decided that I had to do something else with myself.

I never stopped running, but I have been running a lot smarter. After all those injuries I take a more conservative approach, and do just what my body feels like. It took being injured for a long time for me to really appreciate running. Just getting out there and being able to run a few miles made me happy for a while. I do more than that now, and I am always super grateful to even be able to get out there let alone 10 miles. I always thank God for every run I am able to enjoy. I guess it takes something being taken away sometimes for you to really appreciate it when you get it back. So anyways, back to this race I did, it was just a small one, but it made me happy. I felt in my element back out there running the race even if I ran what would have been considered a slow time to me 4 years ago.

That night, I decided I wanted apple pie. But I was actually too lazy to make a pie in a tin and all with 2 crusts…so I made a gallette. Which is just as good in my opinion! Why not spend less time making dessert and be able to enjoy it sooner? Am I right or what?!

So, I made one of the most delicious apple things I have ever had. I had some honeycrisp apples that I knew would be perfect for my galettes. Those are my all time favorite apple, which happens have originated here in Minnesota which I think is awesome. They are just the right amount of tart and sweet to me.

I made a hazelnut crust for the galette, because that is what I have been loving in my pie crust lately, a little nut meal for extra richness. It is sooo good, trust me on this one. I decided I wanted a cream cheese layer in this as well, so I made a vegan cream cheese to go underneath the apples. This galette smelled amazing as it baked. Aromas like that always put me in my happy place. The finished product was sooo good! All in all I would call Friday a great day between actually running a race again, spending time in perfect weather outdoors and enjoying this galette deliciousness that night.

Vegan Cream Cheese Apple Galette

2 galettes

Crust:

3 cups oat flour

1 cup hazelnut meal
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup coconut oil, in its solid form

filtered water as needed

Cream Cheese:

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup raw cashew butter

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp cider vinegar

Filling:

2 large apples, sliced thinly

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

the seeds of one vanilla bean

juice of one small lemon

1/2 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of sea salt

coconut sugar, for topping

To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, meal, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add a touch of water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Divide into 2 pieces and shape into rounds (if it is too soft, refrigerate for about 15 minutes to firm it up slightly. You want it pliable, but not super soft or it will be hard to shape).

Roll each out into a 14 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up.

To make the cream cheese, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. To make filling, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.

Spread the cream cheese over the crust leaving a 1 1/2 inch boarder. Arrange the apples over the cream cheese, then carefully fold up edges to cover the edge of the fruit. Brush sprinkle with a little coconut sugar. Place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes (checking after 20 and if they are very brown, if they are tent with foil) until bubbling and fruit is tender. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.

September 13, 2015
Vegan Blueberry Pluot Galette with Hazelnut Oat Crust

I was really craving some blueberry pie last week. But I had two problems. First, not enough blueberries to make a whole pie, and second, not enough time to make a pie. Because all that rolling and chilling and shaping, then waiting an hour for it to bake…yeah I did not have time. But I got some pie, just not in the usual form. I made a galette instead. A lazy free form pie that requires less time…but tastes equally as good. I got around the blueberry problem by adding sweet pluots, which are amazing this year.

For the crust I wanted something a little different than the usual plain flour, so I added some hazelnut meal and it made it so buttery and delicious! It ended up tasting like a shortbread crust with the rich coconut oil and nutty hazelnuts added and melted in my mouth as it was delicate.

The filling was jammy and delicious, the blueberries and pluots melting together into the perfect combination of tart and sweet but not so sweet that you could not taste the fruit. It was delicious on its own, but the second day I enjoyed it with a dallop of coconut whipped cream left over from another dessert and it was pure heaven. Two things. If you have access to pluots this year, buy some they are amazing. And…you have to try making this. It is so good. If you are not a typical baker and are worried about neatness, no worries. This is a non-fussy not meant to look perfect dessert.

Vegan Blueberry Pluot Galette with Hazelnut Oat Crust

2 galettes

Crust:

3 cups oat flour

1 cup hazelnut meal
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup coconut oil, in its solid form

filtered water as needed

Filling:

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 large sliced pluots

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

the seeds of one vanilla bean

juice of one small lemon
a pinch of sea salt
3 Tbsp arrowroot starch

coconut milk, for brushing
coconut sugar, for topping

To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, meal, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add a touch of water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created. Divide into 2 pieces and shape into rounds (if it is too soft, refrigerate for about 15 minutes to firm it up slightly. You want it pliable, but not super soft or it will be hard to shape).

Roll each out into a 14 inch round using parchment underneath and floured rolling pin. If it tears, no worries, just press it back together and patch it up.

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. To make filling, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour filling into middle of dough rounds (leaving a 1 1/2 inch boarder), then carefully fold up edges to cover the edge of the fruit. Brush edges with a little coconut milk, and sprinkle with sugar. Place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes (checking after 20 and if they are very brown, if they are tent with foil) until bubbling and fruit is tender. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.

August 5, 2015
Vegan Double Berry Rhubarb Galette

I have been really craving pie lately. A delicious fruit pie with a jammy filling, crisp rich crust, and sweet fruit inside. I’m not very picky when it comes to the fruit. It is all good…peaches, cherries, berries. They all are amazing in a pie in my opinion. So, I made a sort of pie last weekend. A lazy person’s pie. A galette. So, a tart and a pie made free form, not picky at all and perfect for the mood I was in and the time frame I had.

I had about an hour after work to make it, so a non fussy free form crust was ideal. Only rolling out one circle and not having to do anything cutesy with it (not that there is anything wrong with cutesy, I love cutesy but not when I have little time). I used my gluten free pie crust, and enclosed inside was the most delicious filling combination. Sweet blueberries, tart rhubarb from my Dad’s garden, and some flavorful, jammy strawberries. Once it had baked and the aroma had permeated the air in my home and it was all bubbly and delicious looking, I was quite excited.

It was pure delicious goodness. The first day I enjoyed it unadorned and I was reminded of how wonderful galettes are. and the second day, I served some of it with some coconut whipped cream and it was the perfect accompaniment. I am one of those people who usually always has to have ice cream or whipped cream with their fruit pie, but I was a little lazy the first day. It was wonderful anyhow even without it. If you want a delicious pie, but not all the fuss, you must try this.

Vegan Double Berry Rhubarb Galette

Crust:

2 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour*

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup coconut sugar

7 Tbsp coconut oil in solid state, cut into chunks

1 Tbsp organic lemon zest

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

5-6 Tbsp ice water

Filling:
2 cups organic rhubarb, sliced

1 cup organic strawberries, quartered

1 cup organic blueberries

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp organic lemon zest

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup arrowroot starch

1/2 cup coconut sugar

pinch of sea salt

Coconut sugar for sprinkling

To make crust, combine flour, sea salt, sugar and coconut oil in a bowl, and use a pastry blender to cut into the mixture until it resembles pea sized chunks (you can also use your hands). Add zest, and vanilla and water and mix into the dough. Knead a few times until it comes together (you may need to add an additional Tbsp more water). Shape into and roll out into a 1/4 inch thick circle on a sheet of parchment (you will want to dust the parchment underneath with a little flour and dust the rolling pin too to avoid sticking. If the dough has gotten too warm, place in the refrigerator). Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place rhubarb and berries, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, arrowroot, sugar and sea salt in a large bowl and toss to combine. Arrange fruit mixture on top of dough on each round, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border all the way around. Fold border over the fruit mixture, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds (it doesn’t have to be perfect, it is rustic). Brush edges of dough with water, sprinkle with sugar, and bake until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling, 45 minutes or so. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool the galette. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*You may use whole wheat pastry flour if you do not wish to make this gluten free.

July 4, 2015