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kicking off nablowrimo

Recipe: apple galette

I have lost my mind and joined NaBloWriMo again! What is NaBloWriMo, you ask? It’s insanity! But it’s fun insanity, so there I am. Basically, I’m posting every day for the month of October and NaBloWriMo is short for National Blog Writing Month. Insanity…

Oh hey, I was recently interviewed by the Daily Camera (Boulder’s local paper) for an article on food photography. Check out the online version if you’re bored.

The fall colors are getting wacky this year, but I just returned from a 3-day shoot and considering all of the circumstances (dull color, high winds, stripped stands) we managed to get some pretty decent captures.


beth was my shooting partner on the trip – she is awesome

fresh snowfall on the sneffels range

golden mature aspen stands



I’m heading out again Friday for another 3-day shoot. Keep fingers crossed for me that it won’t be a bust! Winter keeps huffing and puffing at Colorado’s doorstep. I think fall will be short-lived this year. That’s both good and bad. Based on my up close and personal interactions with the weather these past few days, it is safe to say that summer is dead to me now. If standing in a shower of gently falling (sometimes violently flying) golden aspen leaves doesn’t make you think summer is over, then 45 mph winds blasting 20°F air and pelts of snow certainly will. And with fall comes apples. Lovely, juicy, crisp, sweet, tart apples.

let’s make an apple galette

peel the apples



The last time we visited with my ILs, MIL made this recipe for dessert one night. We scarfed down our servings during a highly competitive round of Wii Bowling. Despite being completely absorbed in the game, we all paused to comment on how perfectly satisfying the apple galette was. I knew I’d be asking for the recipe soon enough.

toss apple slices with zest

arrange slices on rolled out dough



I used a pâte brisée recipe from online for my galette dough. The original topping in the recipe got all poofy and oozy, so I made it a second time with a more sandy topping which I prefer. I’ll include both toppings in the recipe below. The first time I made a large galette, but the second time I made small individual galettes (very cute).

fold up the edges

baked until golden



There are few things in life that are so perfectly suited to one another than apples and pie crust. The galette is just a rustic version of the apple pie and it is quite forgiving. Nothing quite like it on a chilly autumn day.

serve warm with ice cream



Apple Galette
[print recipe]
from my MIL

favorite pâte brisée, chilled
1 1/2 pounds apples, cut into thin slices (I used 3 granny smiths)
1/4 tsp orange zest
topping

pâte brisée
from marthastewart.com

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. While machine is running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

topping (original – kinda gooey)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsps butter, cut into small pieces

topping (what i replaced original with – more grainy)
3 oz. flour
2 oz. butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp allspice

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss apple slices with zest. On floured surface, roll out dough to 11-inch rough circle (or roll out half of dough to about 6-inch circle). Place dough on baking sheet. Cover dough with apples, leaving about 1 1/2 inches around edges apple-free. Combine the topping ingredients except for butter in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until crumbly or makes a ball. Crumble over apples. Fold up edges of pastry over apples, pleating sides. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and apples are fork tender. Serve warm. Serves 4-6.

35 nibbles at “kicking off nablowrimo”

  1. Manisha says:

    But…you said…I thought…WTF? You’re doing NaBloWriMo? You’re out of your mind! I thought I had clicked through to an *old* post! Crazy woman. But so freaking cool! Woo hoo! You’re mad. Of course!

  2. Manggy says:

    Yay for the mention! I get a little depressed thinking about sickly shrimp, though… (You can just imagine the cartoony sh*t that goes on in my head…)
    I love the source: “from my MIL.” Doesn’t get more heirloom-y than that! I think it’s the butter in the pastry that apples pair with incredibly well together. And then of course there is brown sugar- a match made in heaven. I’m surprised your collective knees were strong enough to play bowling with after eating this! ;)

  3. Manggy says:

    Oh yeah, and by the way, you *are* out of your mind with NaBloWriMo :P I think I have to quote you from exactly one year ago… ;)

  4. Karen B says:

    After three months without an oven, I finally have a new, shiny, beautiful and WORKING oven again! I just knew you’d have a good idea to break it in! Your galettes are beautiful, and a perfect way to welcome fall…and my oven!

  5. Mrs Ergül says:

    I will have to give this a try soon!! Wooooooooooo

  6. Fiona says:

    I’m currently up to my hips in a conference I’ve been planning for a year. The *moment* it’s over, this puppy is going in the oven. It’s fall here, too, with dead leaves in my raised garden and a cold rain making everything grey.

    Love the aspen photos.

  7. Jen @ MaplenCornbread says:

    Your pictures are stunning!!!!!! Beautiful galette!

  8. Kristin says:

    Love the idea of individual galettes. Now, gooey or grainy…hmmmm.

  9. jie says:

    yummy..apple season..i have been eating a lot of apple recently and still wants more…thanks for the recipe

  10. Phoo-D says:

    Every day? Wow that is some special kind of crazy! I think I’d have to quit my day job to pull that off! The galette looks beautiful and I look forward to happily following the insanity this month!

  11. Anita says:

    31 days of userealbutter? Hooray! You know, when I was younger and saw all those prints at The Nature Company and whatnot, I used to wonder how those photographers got those shots. Now I know one!! Wonderful shots. P.S. Still on high from hanging with you!

  12. TheWoman says:

    Delicious looking galette. Goodluck with NaBloWriMo – I don’t think I could do it!

  13. Kim, Rambling Family Manager says:

    I wish I’d known about NaBloWriMo earlier; oh well, I can still participate without the listing. I’m thrilled to know I’ll be getting a month of daily posts from URB!! What a treat!

  14. Nichole says:

    this recipe comes at the perfect time for me; luke and i picked apples at his folk’s house last night. he even climbed high up into the tree to pick them like he did when we was a kid!

  15. TheKitchenWitch says:

    Jen, you crazy thing! I look forward to the posts, though :)

  16. heather says:

    You are an amazing woman. I’ve taken to living vicariously through your blog – the food, the hikes, the breathtaking scenery. I’m smitten once more.

    Cheers,

    *Heather*

  17. christina says:

    Yes, even more post to read! I hope it’s not too late to sign up, it kinda sounds fun and would keep me posting regularly.

  18. Rosa says:

    Autumn is so beautiful in your part of the world! I love that tree picture!

    A delightful galette!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  19. Jen T. says:

    So, this is gonna sound crazy… But I’ve never made a galette before. My last pie recipe went terribly, and I’ve been afraid of anything resembling a pie since then. But somehow, a dough made in the food processor doesn’t seem so bad, and I probably wouldn’t mess it up.

    Oh, and I’m going apple picking tomorrow. Yeah, this might be happening!

    Also, I agree, bat-shit crazy on the NaBloWriMo. But I’m still looking forward to it!

  20. Dragana says:

    I’ve been looking for a recipe like this – yummy!

  21. Meaghan says:

    I made an apple galette a few days ago, but yours is rather prettier :)
    Two years ago I tried NaNoWriMo, wherein one is supposed to write a novel in a month. It was insane, and this sounds insane, too. Insane, but fun! I wish you luck on your quest.
    PS– your photographs of Colorado are always so beautiful!

  22. haya says:

    oh this makes me so happy! not just the apple galette (which i will probably make as soon as the boy returns from the apple farm) but also that you’re doing nabolowrimo! love it when my favorite blogs participate.
    so many fun posts.

  23. Asianmommy says:

    I love your shot of the trees from below–so beautiful! The apple galette looks yummy!

  24. Beth says:

    Hit up the local apple festival today. Perfect timing!

  25. barbara says:

    Apple Galette is now on my to do list very soon. I look forward to a month of daily postings Jen.

  26. britni says:

    So jealous! Here in Okinawa, it’s still summer and won’t be cold (if you call 50 degrees cold) until December. I can’t wait to come back to the states and celebrate Autumn with apples and cinnamon! Kudos Jen, your galette looks lovely.

  27. Michelle {Brown Eyed Baker} says:

    This sounds just fabulous, and perfect for the fall weather that has blown in over the last couple of weeks. Will definitely be making it soon.

  28. jenyu says:

    Hey guys! Thanks for the encouragement on NaBloWriMo – crazy but fun ;)

    Manisha – indeed, I am out of my mind :) But NaBloWriMo is how you and I became good friends. How could I let you and Kitt go it alone? hee hee

    Mark – sickly shrimp *sigh* It’s amazing how bad something can come out when someone else chops it up into nonsense… Yes, out of my mind ;)

    Phoo-D – ah well, not every post will have a recipe or I’d really lose it quickly!

    Anita – aww, you’re very sweet. You should probably expect one of those photographs when you and Mr. McHottie get married!

    Nichole – oh, I wish I had been there to see Luke climbing the tree :) Love you both!

    Christina – I think it is too late to sign up (I got in by the good graces of Amy b/c I was LATE signing up), but you can still just do it even if you want to for fun!

  29. a says:

    I made this last night in honor of the onset of Fall! Or, since this is southern California, the onset of “Fall”. I messed it up a little; I was thinking that one of the two disks of pâte brisée was a half recipe, so I only had ~half the filling and topping ready when I rolled it out. I tossed in a bit more apple and made do with half the topping and it was still delicious, so I guess if nothing else I can vouch for the forgiving part!

  30. John says:

    I made mine with granny smith apples.
    It was wonderful last night for dessert, but rocked my morning with coffee.

  31. jenyu says:

    Auna – awesome! you rock, hon :) Good to see you here, by the way.

    John – very nice!

  32. Angelia McGowan says:

    We’re thinking the same thing! I just made this yesterday, and was working on my blog post this morning. The only bad part about this dish, is it disappears too quickly!

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