Peach Galette with Flaky Pastry
A rustic French galette showcasing fresh peaches in a homemade buttery crust. The pastry is laminated with cold butter folds to create flaky layers, then filled with sweetened peaches and folded up around the edges for an elegant, imperfect presentation. Perfect for summer entertaining.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Wait
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total
- 2 hr 20 min
- Makes
- 1 galette (6 slices)
Steps
Before you start
- Cut butter into ½-inch cubes and chill for 30 minutes before starting
- Use firm, ripe peaches; softer fruit releases too much liquid
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) 15 minutes before baking
- Have ice water ready in a small bowl
Make the pastry dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups (155 g) flour and ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat.
- Using a fork or your fingertips, break the butter into pea-sized pieces, working quickly so the butter stays cold; some walnut-sized pieces are fine.
- Pour 4 tablespoons (60 ml) ice water over the mixture and stir with a fork until shaggy dough just comes together; add another tablespoon of ice water only if the mixture is very dry and won't hold together.
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Ready when: Dough is shaggy with visible butter pieces
Tip: Keep everything cold; warm dough will not laminate and develop flakes. Don't overwork the dough or it will become tough.
Chill the dough
- Form the dough into a flat disk about ¾ inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
- The dough can be made up to 1 day ahead.
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Ready when: Dough is firm and cold to touch
Tip: If dough becomes too cold and hard, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling.
Prepare the filling
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Score the bottom of each peach with an X, then submerge in boiling water for 30 seconds.
- Transfer to ice water to cool, then peel away the skin.
- Cut each peach in half, remove the pit, and slice into ¼-inch wedges.
- In a medium bowl, combine 5 medium peaches (sliced), ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract.
- Toss gently to combine, then let sit for 15 minutes so the peaches release their juices.
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Ready when: Peaches are tender and release juice to the bottom of the bowl
Tip: The cornstarch and sugar will help thicken the peach liquid so the galette doesn't become soggy. Don't drain the peaches—use all the liquid.
Roll out the pastry
- On a large piece of parchment paper, roll the chilled dough into a thin circle about ¼ inch thick and 13 inches (33 cm) in diameter.
- If the dough cracks at the edges, patch it gently with scraps.
- Transfer the parchment and dough to a large baking sheet.
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Ready when: Dough is an even ¼-inch thickness in a 13-inch circle
Tip: If dough becomes too warm and sticky while rolling, slide it (still on parchment) into the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
Fill the galette
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peach slices to the center of the dough circle, leaving a 2-inch border all around.
- Discard excess liquid or drizzle it gently over the filling.
- Fold the edges of the dough up and over the peaches, creating pleats and leaving the center uncovered.
- The edges should overlap slightly.
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Ready when: Peaches are mounded in the center with a 2-inch dough border folded up around them
Tip: Keep the fruit in the center so the pastry edges remain visible and crisp. Don't pull the dough too tight or it will shrink.
Brush with egg wash and chill
- Beat 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water.
- Brush the folded pastry edges with the egg wash.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon coarse sugar over the edges if desired.
- Refrigerate the galette on the baking sheet for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven.
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Ready when: Pastry is very cold and firm to touch
Tip: Chilling before baking prevents the galette from spreading too much. The egg wash will brown beautifully and add shine.
Bake the galetteOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Bake the galette on the baking sheet for 30–35 minutes, until the pastry edges are deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling slightly at the edges.
- The bottom should be light golden when you peek underneath with a spatula.
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Ready when: Pastry edges are deep golden brown, filling bubbles at the sides, and the bottom is light golden
Tip: If the pastry edges brown too quickly, loosely tent the galette with foil for the last 10 minutes. The galette will finish cooking even if it looks slightly underdone—don't overbake or the peaches will become mushy.
Cool before serving
- Remove the galette from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes.
- The filling will set as it cools.
- Slide the galette (still on parchment) onto a cutting board or serve directly from the baking sheet.
- Cut into 6 wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Filling is set, pastry is firm enough to cut cleanly
Tip: Don't skip the cooling time or the filling will be too hot and runny to serve. The galette is delicious warm, room temperature, or chilled.
Good to know
Tips
- To peel peaches easily, score the bottom with an X, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then plunge into ice water before peeling.
- For a rustic galette, don't worry about perfect pleats or symmetry—the imperfect folds are part of its charm.
- If your kitchen is very warm, keep the dough and butter cubes in the freezer until the last moment, and work on a cool surface (chill your rolling pin too).
- Serve the galette with lightly whipped cream, crème fraîche, or vanilla ice cream for an elegant finish.
Make ahead
The dough can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. The fully baked galette can be made 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature, loosely covered.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature (up to 6 hours, loosely covered with foil): Pastry remains flaky. Refrigerator (up to 2 days, covered): Reheat in a 300°F/150°C oven for 10 minutes to re-crisp the pastry. Freezer (up to 3 months, wrapped in plastic and foil): Thaw at room temperature, then reheat as above. Do not thaw in the microwave or the pastry will become soggy.
Substitutions
- fresh peaches, medium → Nectarines or plums. Use the same weight; nectarines need not be peeled. Adjust sugar to taste depending on fruit sweetness.
- fresh lemon juice → Fresh lime juice or orange juice. Use the same amount for brightness and to prevent browning.
- vanilla extract → Almond extract. Use half the amount (¼ teaspoon); almond extract is stronger and pairs beautifully with stone fruit.
- cornstarch → All-purpose flour or tapioca starch. Use the same amount. Tapioca gives a more translucent filling; flour may be slightly more opaque.
