Brown butter and orange blossom apple galette with crumble top

Happy autumn, fall, apple/pumpkin and all things cosy season! Every year, I can’t resist but post a supper autumn-y recipe, after seeing hundreds of images of pumpkins and apples, how could I NOT share a recipe for one of these ingredients?

But to be honest, there’s one trend I still haven’t given in to and it’s pie making, including the dough (obviously). Don’t get me wrong, I love, love, love watching images of beautifully latticed and designed pies, but I never felt the need to actually go for it on a regular basis.  In other words, even Instagram wouldn’t change the lazy baker in me! So today, my friends, we are making the lazy but super charming and delicious cousin of the pie, a galette! And we are not going to stop there, we are making a galette topped with a crumb (yes yes yes!) shall we call it a crambelette!?  

The recipe comes together so quickly and it’s SOOO good, I packed a slice for my mom and took it to Brussels last week. She doesn’t like apple pie and she surely changed her mind.

The brown butter definitely takes the filling to a whole other level, it gives it a nutty and irresistible taste that goes so perfectly with the orange blossom and the sweetness of the apples. The crumble with brown sugar brings crunchiness and a caramel-like taste to the whole ‘lazy version of a pie’ experience! I am addicted.

Brown butter and orange blossom apple galette with crumble top  

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6  

• 60g unsalted butter

• 550g apples (about 4 medium ones), cored and sliced

• 50g g caster sugar

• Juice of half a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

• 2 tablespoons plain flour

• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ heaped teaspoon salt

• 280g premade or store bought shortcrust pastry sheet  

• Vanilla ice cream to serve, if desired

 For the crumble

• 90g plain flour

• 60g g brown sugar

• 60g cold unsalted butter

• Pinch salt

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 200 C (390 F)

• Make the brown butter; melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on the butter, the butter will start to foam and turn into a golden yellow. Leave the pan over the heat or until the butter turns into a light brown (about 2 minutes). Immediately, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the butter in a bowl to make sure the butter stops browning and avoid burning it. Place in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the butter to firm up a bit.

• Make the galette filling. In a large bowl, mix the apple slices, sugar, lemon juice, flour, orange blossom, salt, vanilla and solidified brown butter (it doesn’t have to be very firm just a little bit).

 • Make the crumble. In a separate mixing bowl add in the flour, butter and salt. Take the butter from the fridge and cut it into 1 cm cubes. Using your finger tips, rub the flour into the butter until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs and you can’t feel the butter anymore. Make sure you use your fingertips and not your hand palms as this will warm up the butter and you need to keep it cold in order to obtain the right crumbly texture. Add in the brown sugar and use a large spoon (or your fingers tips) to mix to combine.

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll out your pastry. Arrange the apple slices over the dough (including the juices, if any) and leave 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2 inch) border around the edge of the dough, depending on the shape of your pastry (round or squared). 

• Fold the edges of dough towards the centre and over the apples. Gently press the corner of the galette to seal. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the apple slices making sure that all the slices are now covered. Transfer in the oven until the crust is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

• Leave to cool down for 10 minutes before removing the galette from the baking sheet to avoid damaging it. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

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