There is this moment that arrives every April when the first truly seasonal strawberries arrive at the market: I take a bite, and this feeling of spring floods my system. That’s when the pale, flavorless berries that have been traveling for a week are replaced by deep, juicy red berries that fill the kitchen with the scent of sunshine. That’s the moment that inspired this strawberry galette: it channels all those feelings and wraps them into the most gorgeous (and simple) dessert.
I’ve been making a version of this recipe for years, changing the fruit depending on the season (see this pear pancake or is it crazy heirloom tomato & burrata galette). For this one, take advantage of the roughly six-week window where the strawberries are This good and look at the simplicity of this preparation. It’s about 20 minutes of real effort, then an hour of cooking and cooling.
An easier way to make a pie
Here’s the thing about pancakes: they’re all the reward of a homemade pie without any intimidation. There’s no perfectly crimped edge, no blind baking, and no worries about latticework. You fold the dough over the filling, press it down, and the rustic, imperfect edges are the whole point. You really want to embrace that organic, wabi-sabi vibe here.
This might cause some splitting, but I use frozen pie crust for this. Because here’s the thing: a good frozen crust (Dufour is my go-to if you can find it, or Trader Joe’s all-butter crust in a pinch) is really delicious and life is short. If you want to make your own, absolutely go for it. But don’t let the idea of baking from scratch stop you from making it.
The layer that makes it special
Before starting the strawberries, spread a layer of whipped cream cheese in the center of the dough. This creates a creamy, slightly tangy barrier between the dough and the fruit, absorbing some of the juice as the galette cooks and transforming into something that’s not quite a cheesecake, not quite a custard, but completely amazing. If your cream cheese isn’t already at room temperature, ten seconds in the microwave will get it there.
The strawberries themselves are tossed with granulated sugar, lemon zest, a little cornstarch (it’s what keeps things jammy rather than soupy), and a pinch of salt before being placed on top of the cream cheese. Next comes the folding: start folding the dough over the berries, pleating as you go. There’s no wrong way to do this, so relax and have fun. Brush the crust with egg wash, press the sliced almonds into the dough (toss them with a little extra egg wash first so they actually stay) and finish with a generous sprinkling of turbinado sugar for crunch. Thyme is optional, but I love it here – something about that herbaceous, floral note with the sweet strawberries seems very spring-like from the garden to the table.
How to serve this strawberry galette
Bake until the crust is golden and the strawberries are bubbly and candied, about 25 minutes. Some juice will drip onto the parchment – this is completely normal and looks really beautiful. Then the hardest part: you have to let it cool on a rack for a good hour before cutting it so that the filling can set. Serve it slightly warm or at room temperature, accompanied by a dollop of lightly whipped cream. I have also had it since breakfast the next morning with coffee (highly recommended).
It’s spring in dessert form, the kind of recipe that reminds you why you love cooking in the first place. Simple ingredients, seasonal fruits and something so beautiful without much effort. Scroll through the recipe and leave a comment if you make this one!
Strawberry Cream Cheese Galette
Total duration: 45 minutes
Yield: 8
Print the recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A rustic strawberry galette filled with cream cheese and an almond-studded crust is spring in dessert form. So simple and a stunning centerpiece for any gathering.
Ingredients
- 1 frozen pie crust, thawed in the refrigerator overnight (or homemade)
- 1/3 cup Powdered sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 book stemless strawberries (about 5 cups), sliced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour
- Small pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon turbocharged sucks
- thyme for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Let the pie crust come to room temperature on the counter for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center position.
- Toss the sliced strawberries with the sugar, zest, salt and cornstarch in a bowl.
- On a sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough into a 12-inch round, flouring lightly if necessary. Transfer the parchment paper to a baking sheet.
- If necessary, microwave the cream cheese for 10 seconds to make it spreadable, then spread it in the center of the pie crust, leaving a 2-inch border.
- Place the strawberries and their juice in the middle of the dough and leave a 2-inch border. Fold the border over the fruit, pleating as you go and leaving the center of the pancake exposed. Brush crust with egg wash.
- Toss the almonds with a little more egg wash, then press into the crust. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and thyme (if using).
- Bake until crust is golden brown and strawberries are bubbly, about 25 minutes. Don’t worry if juice leaks! Let cool on a wire rack for an hour, then serve.
- Preparation time: 20
- Cooking time: 25
Category: dessert
Keywords : strawberry pancake
The position This Strawberry Cream Cheese Galette is Spring in Dessert Form appeared first on Camille Styles.
