A fresh Strawberry Galette with juicy strawberries, buttery pastry and freshly whipped cream pulled together for a casually elegant treat. So much easier than pie, more user friendly than a tart, this is the perfect spring dessert!
If you’re looking for the perfect dessert to inaugurate the spring season, look no further. My strawberry galette is made with a super simple flaky pie crust, a layer of tangy, rich mascarpone cheese, and fresh berries just barely embellished with a tablespoon of sugar to bring out their natural sweetness. It’s topped off with a light layer of vanilla simple syrup to give it a glossy sheen and a hint of that lovely vanilla aroma. Basically? It’s amazing.
this strawberry galette is as much of a joy to make as it is to eat
Whoever said ‘easy as pie’ clearly never made a galette. The ingredients are simple, and yet everything comes together for the perfect balance of flavors and textures. If you’re someone who can easily get stressed out in the kitchen, I think you’ll find this recipe super enjoyable to make. It’s special enough to feel worthy of those first ripe spring berries without veering into lattice-crust territory.
If you’ve never made a galette before, there are lots of reasons to love them over a traditional pie. Personally, I like the lighter filling because it means you don’t have to use a ton of cornstarch or gelatin to thicken the filling to make it ‘sliceable.’ The berries cook up beautifully and the balance of filling and buttery crust is just perfect.
how to assemble a strawberry galette
- Roll out your crust to (roughly) a 15 inch circle. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be precise, put the measuring tape away.
- Use an offset spatula to spread a thin layer of mascarpone cheese, or base of your choice, leaving a 2 inch border all around. Note: you don’t need to lay down anything if you don’t want to.
- Arrange your fruit across the top of the base, overlapping if necessary to cover the entire surface. Remember to leave that 2 inch border clear.
- Fold the crust up over the fruit. It should look a little rustic.
a quick and easy way to make a flavored simple syrup
Why do I top this strawberry galette off with a light brushing of vanilla simple syrup? I find it helps the fruit stay nice and moist and adds a touch of vanilla flavor that complements the strawberries. It’s an extra step that takes just a minute:
- Combine equal parts granulated sugar and water in a small jar with a tight fitting lid (I like to use a mason jar with a plastic lid), and add your flavoring of choice (vanilla extract, almond extract, a little lemon juice, etc.)
- Close the lid tightly and gently shake everything together to combine. Allow the syrup to sit for a few minutes, shaking a few more times until the sugar dissolves into the water. This shouldn’t take too long at all, I like to do it while my galette is in the oven. That’s it! No stovetop required.
- You probably won’t need all your syrup for brushing the top of your galette, so save the rest to use in cocktails.
yes, definitely substitute other fruits in this galette recipe
Almost any kind of fruit will work well in a galette. Swap in other berries like raspberries or blackberries, and apples or pears in the fall. Stonefruit like peaches and plums are also amazing! You can skip the mascarpone layer altogether if you want, or sub in a thin layer of almond frangipane (gah!) or crème fraîche, too.
Add The View from Great Island as a Trusted Google Source
Fresh Strawberry Galette
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp cold water
For the filling
- 24 ounces strawberries, hulled and sliced about 1/4 inch thick (note: you may use a bit more or less depending on how big your berries are and how you slice them)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
For the vanilla syrup
- 1/8 cup sugar
- 1/8 cup water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the crust
- Add the flour, butter, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until there are no large pieces of butter remaining (small pieces are fine)
- Slowly add in the cold water, and continue to pulse until the dough comes together. If not using right away, refrigerate the dough until ready to use.
To assemble the galette
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a circle roughly 15" in diameter. Gently move the crust to the lined baking sheet.
- In a bowl, toss the sliced strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the mascarpone in a thin layer across the rolled out crust, leaving about 2" all the way around.
- Arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the mascarpone. I started on the outside of the circle, and worked my way to the center in concentric circles, overlapping the strawberry slices a little bit.
- Fold the edge of the crust over the filling, all the way around the galette. Brush the exposed part of the crust with a little milk or cream, and sprinkle with a little granulated sugar (optional).
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the crust is golden brown, and the filling is starting to bubble.
- While the galette is baking, make the vanilla simple syrup by combining the sugar, water, and vanilla extract in a small jar with a lid, and shaking a few times until the sugar has dissolved in the water. You can also gently heat them together on the stovetop until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove the galette from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes until the juices have set up a bit. Brush lightly with the vanilla syrup (you will not need to use all of it).
- Slice and serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.
Could cream cheese be used instead of the mascarpone? Would I have to add maybe some sugar to the cream cheese? Mascarpone is not easily found in my area.
You can use cream cheese, as is, or sweetened with a little sugar, that would work fine. You might use whipped cream cheese for easier spreading.
Hi Sue,
First, I enjoy your web site very much and have made lots and lots of your recipes and they’ve all become family favorites. Today, I made the Fresh Strawberry Galette it looked totally gorgeous going into the oven. But I just simply couldn’t get the crust to brown. Any tips for me for my next try?
Hi Nancy — I’m so glad to hear that, thank you! Did you by any chance skip brushing the crust with a little milk or cream before baking? It’s totally optional, but I find that really makes a difference for getting that golden color. I will make sure to clarify the recipe instructions to explain why I like to include that step.
I have been making savory galettes and they also have a “wow” show factor. I know we will love this dessert option and am heading out for some berries today. Thanks for sharing.
I love a savory galette, too! Happy baking!
Oh wow! This is going to be a hit here and looks amazing! I’m definitely making this as soon as I can! My daughter and husband are going to love this recipe!
this is a great change to the same old same old fillings and just shouts Spring! I love strawberry this is just perfect!
Such a beautiful summery dessert. perfect with vanilla ice cream.
Sue,
could you do this with puffed pastry?
This looks delish ! cant wait to try
???
Yes, but I wouldn’t fold it over in the same way, just score a border around the pastry and then layer in the fruit. Would be delish.
This was so good! It quickly became a favorite at our house!
This looks so delicious! I could have the whole thing at one time. I’ve seen so many galette recipes but didn’t realize they contain mascarpone cheese which I’m a big fan of!
Mascarpone gives it a luxe touch 🙂
Wow – this looks awesome! Quick question: you don’t add a touch of sugar to your galette pastry/crust (dough)? Thanks! Can’t wait to try this.
I don’t, but you can add a bit if you prefer. I get that touch of sweetness, plus a little crunch, by sprinkling sugar on the outer crust before baking.