Pear Galette
This Pear Galette may look all elegant and fancy pants, but don’t let it fool you. This recipe is so easy! You don’t need to make your own crust from scratch, and you don’t even need a pie plate. The flakey, buttery crust goes perfectly with the sweet, juicy cinnamon pears. Serve this free-form pear pie with a scoop of ice cream for the ultimate fall dessert!
This came out well using Harry and David pears that were ripening way too fast! A bit of crispy on the top. I grated some butter on the apples before popping in the oven. I needed 10 minutes more time as I used a hearty thickness pie crust recipe. Definitely a keeper in the recipe book. Will try this with apples next.
— Wanda
Pears are usually the back up singers during the fall. The apples and pumpkins usually take the lead and steal the show. Well, move over apples and pumpkins because it is time for the pears to shine. This Pear Galette is a real show stopper!
I’ll be honest, when I’m planning recipes for this time of year, I get really excited about baking with apples and pumpkin, and seem to just forget about pears. But when I bite into a ripe, juicy pear, I remember how delicious they taste and kick myself for not including them in more of my recipes. Pears really are quite tasty!
If you love pears, too, and you’re looking for a fall dessert that’s easy to make, yet tastes amazing and looks impressive, this Pear Galette recipe will be your new favorite cozy, sweet treat.
What is a galette?
Galettes are basically just the lazy gal’s rendition of a pie. You get all of the wonderful flavor and ingredients that you love in a classic pie… with way less effort! There’s no better way to take advantage of fresh pear season.
Just like a pie, a galette is made with a flaky pastry crust filled with fruit, it differs mainly in the way that it’s baked. The galette is a French pastry similar to a tart or pie; however, instead of baking a galette in a pie plate, the galette is “free form,” meaning that it’s just baked on a flat sheet pan. It only has a bottom crust. This gives the galette a more rustic look and feel — and it’s virtually impossible to “mess up.” You don’t have to worry about crimping the edges, creating a lattice top, or blind-baking with pie weights!
Pear Galette Ingredients:
- Refrigerated pie crust dough. Some galette recipes call for puff pastry; however, a more traditional galette uses dough that’s buttery and flaky like a pie crust. You can make your own galette dough recipe from scratch, but I think the Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust dough is a really high-quality shortcut. The Pillsbury dough is sold in packs of two, and you’ll only need one crust for this recipe. Stash the extra crust in the freezer or fridge to use for another galette recipe later!
- Pears. I recommend using slightly firm, but ripe Bartlett or Anjou Pears. These varieties are super juicy, naturally sweet and perfect for baking.
- Sugar. to sweeten the galette.
- Flour or cornstarch. helps to thicken the filling, so it’s not too juicy.
- Cinnamon, ginger + salt. for warm, cozy flavor!
- Lemon juice + zest. brightens the flavor of the pears.
- Butter. for added deliciousness, a very small amount of butter is added on top of the sliced pears before baking.
- Egg. brush on the crust to give it a beautiful golden brown color.
- Coarse sugar. add a little extra sweetness by sprinkling coarse sugar over the pear filling and crust before baking. If you don’t have any coarse sugar, you can just sprinkle a little granulated sugar on top or skip this step.
How to make a pear galette:
- Roll out the dough. Let dough sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Place the pie crust between two pieces of lightly floured waxed paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle. This doesn’t have to be perfect, so don’t stress if it’s slightly uneven. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.
- Make the pear filling. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the pears, sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt, lemon juice and zest. Gently toss the pears to coat.
- Add the filling. Arrange the pear filling in the center of the dough, mounding the fruit slightly and leaving a 2-inch border.
- Fold the edges. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the pears, pleating loosely. Again, we’re going for a rustic look – this doesn’t need to be perfect! Brush the dough with egg and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake. Place the galette in a 400 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
- Cool and serve. Cool galette for about 20 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!
Pro tip. Zest the lemon before juicing it. It’s much easier – trust me! Zest first. Juice second. And when it comes to baking, don’t use bottled lemon juice, use fresh for the best flavor.
Tips for recipe success:
This pear dessert is really very easy and almost impossible to mess up, but here are a few tips to make sure your galette turns out perfect every time.
- I prefer to use the Bartlett or Anjou Pear variety for this recipe, since they have more structure and can withstand the baking process.
- Pears are the perfect ripeness for this recipe when they yield slightly to pressure, but are still firm. Try to select pears that are free of blemishes and/or bruises.
- When peeling the pears, work in long, even strokes to avoid an uneven appearance. Use a vegetable peeler, which works perfectly. Be careful not to bruise them when peeling.
- If you don’t have lemon juice and zest, substitute with vanilla extract for added flavor.
- Try swapping out the pears and using apples in this easy galette recipe. If using apples, cut them about 1/4-inch thick and you’ll likely need to increase the bake time to 35-40 minutes.
FAVORITE TOPPINGS
There are two classic toppings for a fruit galette like this one. My personal favorite is a cold, creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream. Another go-to topping is whipped cream, which is almost as delicious as vanilla ice cream. A pear galette is also pretty awesome just plain, too, without any topping at all.
The cold ice cream combined with the warm pears and sweet, flakey crust is pretty epic though…
PREPARATION AND STORAGE TIPS
- You can make a galette ahead of time, so it’s a very convenient dessert (especially if you’re entertaining).
- If serving on the same day that you bake the galette, just store it at room temperature.
- Covered, the galette will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days (although the crust may get soggy after about 24 hours).
- Freeze leftover galette for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- To reheat Pear Galette: Place the galette on a baking sheet and warm in a 375 degree F oven for about 10 minutes. The microwave will work for individual slices, but the crust won’t crisp up as nicely.
I can’t think of many other fall desserts that are as delicious and cozy as this easy pear galette served with vanilla ice cream. Definitely add this to the dessert menu for any fall gathering or celebration, especially Thanksgiving!
MORE FAVORITE dessertS to make this fall
If you try this pear galette recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Pear Galette
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust dough, I prefer Pillsbury brand*
- 3-4 slightly firm but ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears, peeled, cut into thin slices, lengthwise
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 tablespoon butter, cold and cut into 4 pieces
- 1 egg, beaten
- Coarse turbinado sugar or granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand for 15 minutes. Place the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured waxed paper and roll out into an 11-inch circle. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, stir together the pears, sugar, flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, lemon juice and zest. Gently toss the pears to coat.
- Arrange the pear filling in the center of the dough, mounding the fruit slightly and leaving a 2-inch border. You can arrange the pears in a spoke pattern or keep it rustic. Gently fold the edges of the dough (outer 2 inches) over the pears, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Dot the cold butter onto the top of the pear filling. Brush the dough with the beaten egg (you won’t need all of the egg). Lightly sprinkle sugar over the pears and on the crust.
- Bake at 400 degrees F. for about 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Best served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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This came out well using Harry and David pears that were ripening way too fast! A bit of crispy on the top. I grated some butter on the apples before popping in the oven. I needed 10 minutes more time as I used a hearty thickness pie crust recipe. Definitely a keeper in the recipe book. Will try this with apples next.
Sounds delicious! So happy you enjoyed!
Hi there,
Question: could I prep the galette (minus the egg wash, butter and sugar) and freeze it to bake later? Or would it be better to bake, freeze, and toss in the oven to warm and crisp again?
I think it would work either way. Hope you enjoy!