frangipane

Cherry Almond Galette

Cherry Almond Galette by Wood and Spoon. This is an all-butter pie crust filled with seasonal rainier and dark cherries and an almond meal frangipane filing. Top with ice cream and serve wedge slices as a summer dessert perfect for picnics and parties. Find more about this simple pie recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Can I be completely transparent? I’ve been sitting at my computer for 30 minutes typing and erasing words I think I want to share with you. I keep grasping at thoughts that I’d ordinarily be able to blab about incessantly, but for some reason I’m unable to explain it in a way that makes sense. Call it writer’s block or call it Mommy brain, but I’ll just go ahead and chalk it up to a whole bunch of feels that are hard to put to words. Here’s where it all started:

I made this cherry almond galette with my daughter. Always the kitchen helper, Aimee recently discovered how much fun the cherry coring tool was. She perched herself on a kitchen stool and plucked stems off of glossy Rainiers while I punched the pits out of the fruit and into the trash. Eventually, she convinced me to let her take over, and what was supposed to be a quick hour of baking turned into a day long cherry-stained date for two in the kitchen. I love to share in special moments like this with my kids, but raise your hand if there are times you just need to get. the. job. done.

Cherry Almond Galette by Wood and Spoon. This is an all-butter pie crust filled with seasonal rainier and dark cherries and an almond meal frangipane filing. Top with ice cream and serve wedge slices as a summer dessert perfect for picnics and parties. Find more about this simple pie recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

When Your Life is Not Your Own

This kind of thing happens all the time. Now, as a mother of three, I’m finding that my life and agenda are not my own. It could be because my schedule is dictated by bedtimes and breastfeeding schedules. It could be because my car, once spotless, is now littered with action figures and cereal crumbs. Even my office is slowly being taken over by a slew of broken crayons and crude drawings of rainbows and stick people. Whatever the reason, my time or my space, this season of motherhood has been one of the truest dying of self that I’ve ever experienced, so much so that my life is hardly recognizable from what it was even months ago.

Cherry Almond Galette by Wood and Spoon. This is an all-butter pie crust filled with seasonal rainier and dark cherries and an almond meal frangipane filing. Top with ice cream and serve wedge slices as a summer dessert perfect for picnics and parties. Find more about this simple pie recipe on thewoodandspoon.comCherry Almond Galette by Wood and Spoon. This is an all-butter pie crust filled with seasonal rainier and dark cherries and an almond meal frangipane filing. Top with ice cream and serve wedge slices as a summer dessert perfect for picnics and parties. Find more about this simple pie recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

“I need to know how to still be me.”

Although people always say that motherhood is instinctual, I’d argue that most of it is still really hard to figure out. Finding a balance of who I am as Kate versus who I am as Aimee, George, and Charlie’s Mom is basically an illusive teeter totter of grey area that I usually have zero clue how to navigate. Part of me feels incredibly selfish to want to maintain some semblance of self independent of my children, but the other part knows that in order to stay sane I need to know how to still be me.

So how do you do that? How do you fully embrace a new life you’ve been gifted, a life that you’ve chosen, and still maintain an identity that is even remotely recognizable? I just don’t know yet. I imagine the reality falls somewhere in-between and eventually I’ll be able to sum it up in a few words. For now it’s a mystery. I’ll fill you in if I ever figure it out, but for now, let’s just talk about the things I do know. Let’s get back to the cherry almond galette.

Cherry Almond Galette by Wood and Spoon. This is an all-butter pie crust filled with seasonal rainier and dark cherries and an almond meal frangipane filing. Top with ice cream and serve wedge slices as a summer dessert perfect for picnics and parties. Find more about this simple pie recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Cherry Almond Galette

These are seasonal cherries topped with an all-butter, almond and sugar-flecked pie crust. In between the two layers is a quick and dirty frangipane that sweetens the pastry and adds a hint of flavor and texture. Of course, you already know I made the crust with my love-you-long-time fave, Kerrygold. Their butter is unmatched when it comes to simple recipes like this, and when there is only a few ingredients to a dish you need to let each one sing. The crust is buttery and tender, and every ounce of thanks goes to that quality butter. Amen.

Cherry Almond Galette by Wood and Spoon. This is an all-butter pie crust filled with seasonal rainier and dark cherries and an almond meal frangipane filing. Top with ice cream and serve wedge slices as a summer dessert perfect for picnics and parties. Find more about this simple pie recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Galette

The frangipane filling for this cherry almond galette is delicately sweetened and flavored. I think that little bit of filling helps to keep the crust from becoming soggy. Plus, the almond flavor pairs perfectly with the cherries. Although I ordinarily don’t mind using frozen fruit, I kinda insist on fresh fruit when it comes to galettes because it always bakes so beautifully. Trust me on this.

While making this cherry almond galette may appear to be tricky, it’s actually incredibly forgiving and way easier than a full pie. Simply roll out your chilled dough and spread the frangipane filling into the center. Top the filling with loads of sugared cherries. The rustic nature of a galette practically begs for messy folds of dough; don’t worry too much about precision when you crimp the edges around the fruit. Just let it come together organically and I can almost promise it will bake beautifully. After all, remember that Aimee helped me make this galette. If a four-year-old can crush it, grown-ups can too, okay?

Cherry Almond Galette by Wood and Spoon. This is an all-butter pie crust filled with seasonal rainier and dark cherries and an almond meal frangipane filing. Top with ice cream and serve wedge slices as a summer dessert perfect for picnics and parties. Find more about this simple pie recipe on thewoodandspoon.comCherry Almond Galette by Wood and Spoon. This is an all-butter pie crust filled with seasonal rainier and dark cherries and an almond meal frangipane filing. Top with ice cream and serve wedge slices as a summer dessert perfect for picnics and parties. Find more about this simple pie recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Thank you for listening to me banter about motherhood. I hope my rambling hasn’t completely deterred you from giving this cherry almond galette a try. As always, thank you for supporting Kerrygold and other brands that make Wood & Spoon possible. I hope you’ll give their goods a try for all of your special bakes like this one. Happy Thursday and happy baking!

Cherry Almond Galette by Wood and Spoon. This is an all-butter pie crust filled with seasonal rainier and dark cherries and an almond meal frangipane filing. Top with ice cream and serve wedge slices as a summer dessert perfect for picnics and parties. Find more about this simple pie recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

If you like this cherry almond galette you should try:

Blueberry Cornmeal Galette

Tomato Basil Pesto Galette

Mini Strawberry Galettes

Cherry Lime Hand Pies

Black Cherry Chip Cake

Cherry Gateau Basque

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Cherry Almond Galette

This cherry almond galette has a sweet frangipane filling and an all-butter pie crust!

  • Author: Kate
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 9 Servings
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the pie dough:

  • 11/4 cups (175 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, cold
  • ¼ cup ice water
  • For the filling:
  • ¾ cup (90 gm) almond meal
  • ½ cup (100 gm) sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 4 cups (11/4 lbs) stemmed, pitted, and halved cherries
  • 11/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest, optional
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, optional
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, optional

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

  1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until they are reduced to pea-sized clumps. The remainder of the mixture should look like a sandy consistency. Pour in the ice water and use the pastry cutter or a large fork to bring the dough together into a shaggy mixture. Then dump the contents of the bowl out onto a clean counter and work it into a ball of dough. Do not overwork the mixture. Flatten out the ball into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill for at least two hours and up to a week.

To prepare the galette:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
  2. Combine the almond meal, ¼ cup sugar, vanilla, and half of the beaten egg in a small bowl into a pasty consistency. In a separate bowl, combine the cherries, remaining ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, booze, and zest. Set aside.
    Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out onto a floured surface into a 12” circle. Spread the almond mixture in the center of the circle, leaving a 2” border around the perimeter of the circle. Dump the cherry mixture on top of the almond filling. Fold the edges of the pie dough up and over the cherries, gently pressing the dough to seal on top of itself as you fold. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of the remaining beaten egg on top of the dough. Sprinkle the dough with the turbinado sugar and sliced almonds. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. If you notice you crust is getting dark and the inside juices aren’t bubbling at all you can make a little aluminum foil shield to cover the dough around the perimeter of your galette. Allow to cool and set prior to slicing and serving with ice cream!

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Apple Frangipane Tart

Apple Frangipane Tart by Wood and Spoon blog. This is an elegant holiday tart with a flaky pie crust, and almond filling and beautiful apples on top. Served with a glass of wine this is the French treat your holiday guests will go crazy for! This fancy dessert is made in a tart pan and easily serves a crowd. Find out more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

If you’ve followed this blog for any amount of time you know that I’m more than a little excited about today’s post. I’ve long been a teensy bit of a Francophile, and today I’m sharing a delightfully fancy, all-too-beautiful French apple frangipane tart. It’s the kind of treat that feel effortlessly elegant, simple and complex all in one bite, and after we dive into it I think you’ll feel the same way.

Apple Frangipane Tart by Wood and Spoon blog. This is an elegant holiday tart with a flaky pie crust, and almond filling and beautiful apples on top. Served with a glass of wine this is the French treat your holiday guests will go crazy for! This fancy dessert is made in a tart pan and easily serves a crowd. Find out more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

What is Frangipane?

Frangipane is decidedly French and particularly traditional around the Christmas holiday. Made with butter, sugar, eggs, and ground almonds, frangipane is a sweetened filling often used in a variety of French tarts, cakes, and pastries. I often see the filling paired with pears, but with the abundance of beautiful pink apples I’d been seeing at the store, I decided an apple frangipane tart was entirely necessary.

Apple Frangipane Tart by Wood and Spoon blog. This is an elegant holiday tart with a flaky pie crust, and almond filling and beautiful apples on top. Served with a glass of wine this is the French treat your holiday guests will go crazy for! This fancy dessert is made in a tart pan and easily serves a crowd. Find out more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Millesima USA

This whole idea of an apple frangipane tart came from working with Millesima USA, an online European fine wine retailer. They specialize in rare bottles and have an extensive selection of premium wines. I made my first order with them just before Thanksgiving and decided to create a dessert that would pair well with one of their many beautiful French wines. With the help of a friend, I ended up selecting two white wines from Chateau Fuisse, and let me tell you- they were DELICIOUS. The ordering process was incredibly simple and the bottles shipped to my local ABC store for free. In my small town of Selma, AL, I had gained access to Europe’s most extensive online library of wines. Talk about feeling fancy.

Apple Frangipane Tart by Wood and Spoon blog. This is an elegant holiday tart with a flaky pie crust, and almond filling and beautiful apples on top. Served with a glass of wine this is the French treat your holiday guests will go crazy for! This fancy dessert is made in a tart pan and easily serves a crowd. Find out more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Apple Frangipane Tart

So here it is: my fancy pants French dessert that just begs for a seriously  good glass of wine. To make this apple frangipane tart for yourself, we’ll start with the crust. Traditionally, frangipane tarts use a press-in pastry crust, but I decided to opt for my favorite pie crust. I love the extra butter and flake it lends this dessert. To make it, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl before cutting in butter and shortening. Add ice water to the mixture until a shaggy dough comes together that you can chill until you’re ready to bake. Roll out of the dough on a floured surface and lay into a fluted tart pan. I used one with a removable bottom, but that’s totally optional here. Par-bake the crust briefly to allow the bottom to cook, and in the meantime you can whip up your filling!

Apple Frangipane Tart by Wood and Spoon blog. This is an elegant holiday tart with a flaky pie crust, and almond filling and beautiful apples on top. Served with a glass of wine this is the French treat your holiday guests will go crazy for! This fancy dessert is made in a tart pan and easily serves a crowd. Find out more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Tart

Softened butter and sugar are combined in a large bowl. Eggs, vanilla, and almond extract come next followed by the salt and almond flour. While the pie crust continues to bake, you can set your filling aside and slice the apples. I used 3 medium-sized pink lady apples, primarily because they bake well and have a beautiful pink skin. You can peel the skin off if you prefer, but I just couldn’t miss out on that color! Just thinly slice the apples and keep the little sections of slices together so that they’ll arrange pretty in the tart.

When the crust is done baking, remove it from the oven and spread the frangipane inside. Gently lay fanned out sections of apples in the frangipane, pushing down just a tiny bit. Pop the apple frangipane tart back in the oven to bake for another 45 minutes. The filling will puff and turn golden by the time its done.

Apple Frangipane Tart by Wood and Spoon blog. This is an elegant holiday tart with a flaky pie crust, and almond filling and beautiful apples on top. Served with a glass of wine this is the French treat your holiday guests will go crazy for! This fancy dessert is made in a tart pan and easily serves a crowd. Find out more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Serving the Tart

Allow the apple frangipane tart to cool slightly before cutting and serving. You can certainly make this a day in advance and barely re-warm slices to serve. The crust is ridiculously flaky and the filling is perfectly sweet. The apples definitely taste best on the day of baking, but you can revive any dried out fruit by heating a bit of apricot or orange marmalade and brushing it on the fruit. It’s like an instant pick-me-up for a day-old dessert, and it adds a little sticky shine to the fruit too.

This dessert is an elegant treat to serve at your upcoming holiday suppers, and you better believe it tastes splendid with a quality bottle of wine as well. I’ll link to the ones I picked out from Millesima so that you can try them for yourself. Whether for holiday parties or New Year bashes, Millesima is my new go-to source for special bottles worthy of celebrations. Check out there retail space online and don’t hesitate to ask questions if you’re new to the online ordering! My experience was seamless, and I’m happy to brag on them a ton.

Apple Frangipane Tart by Wood and Spoon blog. This is an elegant holiday tart with a flaky pie crust, and almond filling and beautiful apples on top. Served with a glass of wine this is the French treat your holiday guests will go crazy for! This fancy dessert is made in a tart pan and easily serves a crowd. Find out more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Apple Frangipane Tart by Wood and Spoon blog. This is an elegant holiday tart with a flaky pie crust, and almond filling and beautiful apples on top. Served with a glass of wine this is the French treat your holiday guests will go crazy for! This fancy dessert is made in a tart pan and easily serves a crowd. Find out more about the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Give this apple frangipane tart and try and let me know what you think! Tune in later this week for a pepperminty treat and a last-minute holiday gift guide for the special gals in your life. Happy Baking!

If you like this apple frangipane tart you should try:

Berry Rhubarb Tart

Strawberry Pretzel Tart

Honey Mascarpone Tart

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts 

Caramel Apple Pie

This post is sponsored by Millesima USA. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that make Wood & Spoon possible. 

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Apple Frangipane Tart

This apple frangipane tart is a classic French almond tart with a flaky pie crust and beautiul apples on top! Serve as a fancy sliced treat this holiday!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 10
  • Category: dessert

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 13/4 cups (240 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup (70 gm) chilled vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter, ice cold
  • 6+ tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup (135 gm) sugar
  • 2 large eggs, plus one for the egg wash
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 11/2 cups (145 gm) almond flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Approximately 3 medium-sized baking apples (I used pink lady)
  • 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted, optional
  • Powdered sugar, optional

Instructions

To prepare the crust:

  1. Combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or the backs of two forks to cut the shortening and butter into the dry ingredients until pea-sized clumps exist throughout. Add about ¼ cup of ice water and use a fork to bring the dough together. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to get the dough to come together. The dough should be tacky but not sticky wet, and should pack together without dry pieces flaking off. Press into a round disk being careful not to overwork the dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Allow the pie dough to chill at least two hours or up to a week prior to baking.

To prepare the tart:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and allow to sit out for 5 minutes. Using a floured rolling pin on a floured surface, roll the dough out into a flat, 1/8” round that is about an inch larger than your tart pan on all sides. (I use a 9” metal tart pan with a removable bottom.) Roll the dough back up on the pin loosely and move it into the tart pan, gently pressing the dough into the edges of the pan. Leave and inch excess on all sides and trim off any excess. Fold the lip of the dough under and keep pressing the dough into the sides of the pan. The dough may shrink in the oven, so build the edge up 1/8-1/4” above the lip of the pan. Line the pan with a sheet of parchment and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Par-bake the crust in the oven for 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the filling.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until combine, about a minute. Add 2 eggs and the extracts and stir to combine. Add the almond flour and salt and stir to combine. Prep the apples by washing and quartering them. Make thin slices throughout each quarter and keep the sections together to arrange in the tart. Whisk the extra egg in a small bowl with a little bit of water.
  3. When the pie crust is done par-baking, remove it from the oven and use a pastry brush to whisk a layer of egg all over the crust. Spread the filling into the crust and then arrange the apples on top. I like to take small sections of apples, fan them while in my hand and then place them where I want on the tart. The filling will puff while baking so there is no need to press them in deep. Fill the top of the tart with apples and then place the tart back in the oven. Decrease the heat to 350 degrees and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the crust and filling have bronzed. Remove the tart from the oven and sprinkle the almonds on top. Allow to cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar, if desired. Tart is best served the day it is made, but if you’re heating it up a day later, consider warming a small bit of orange or apricot jam in a bowl to brush on top of the apples. The apples will dry out oven time and can be revived with a little brush of melted jam.

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