Fresh Fig Galette

, from Issue #17. September, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Fresh Fig Galette

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

300 grams flour pinch of salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
fine zest of 1 lemon
100 grams butter, diced and chilled
2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons chilled water

Filling
½ cup thick fig or raspberry jam
10-12 fresh figs, halved
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon water
sugar for sprinkling

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Put the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and the lemon zest in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse to a fine crumb. Combine the egg yolks and water and add to the dough. Pulse until the pastry just starts to come together. Tip onto a lightly floured bench and finish bringing it together with your hands. Form into a disc, wrap and chill until it starts to firm up.

Place on a Teflon sheet or a piece of baking paper and place another piece of baking paper on top. Roll out to a 35 cm circle. Remove the top piece of baking paper. Spread the jam over the pastry leaving a 3 cm border. Arrange the figs over the jam. Gently fold the pastry border over the figs, pleating it as you go. The pastry is quite soft to work with, just pinch it together if it breaks.

Brush the pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Slide an oven tray underneath the Teflon sheet or baking paper and bake for about 30 minutes. The pastry should be golden and crisp. Leave for at least 15 minutes before serving.

To serve: Slide the galette onto a serving platter and dust with icing sugar. Serve with softly whipped cream. 

If fresh figs aren’t available other fresh fruit such as apricots, nectarines or peaches can be used.