Oops I did it again, I went ahead and made another galette. I promise I will give it a rest and do another dessert shortly.
When I looked for inspiration to make a pear galette, all the descriptions I read were full of phrases like “delicate touch”, or “subtle aroma” a “hint of flavour”. I have to say I was unimpressed, as most of you know me by now, you’ll know that I’m not a subtle flavour kind of girl. I’m more of an explosion of flavour kinda gal. Where I come from nothing succeeds like excess.
So when I wasn’t satisfied with what I saw I decided to make my own recipe and let me tell you it’s a fantastic recipe (if you don’t mind my saying so) This galette has a rich, sweet, juicy taste, full of strong earthy flavour. The scent
from the poaching will not only fill your home with sweet, luscious aroma it will make you forget your troubles, your kids will stop fighting, your husband will think you are at least 10 years younger, your worries will slip away and covid will disappear and the whole family will sit together singing kumbaya just like the Brady bunch, and when you’re finished, the kids will say: ‘don’t move, Mum, we’ll clean up!’… Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating just a tad but you get the gist … this one’s a game changer.
Poached pears Ingredients 1 Cinnamon tea bag (it also has fennel, licorice root, orange peel, lemon peel and ginger in it.) 1/3 cup honey 5 pears each weighed between 200g-250g (peeled) 2 litres boiling water (8 cups) 2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cinnamon sticks 1 orange, rinsed, chopped into pieces, skin and all. Method
Peel, halve and core the pears.
Place a pot large enough to accommodate all of the pears over a low flame and pour boiling water into the pot.
Place the tea bag and let it brew for 3-4 minutes. Remove the tea bag and stir in the honey, cinnamon, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks and chopped orange.
Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a gentle simmer. Add pears to the pot and poach for two hours.
You’ll know they are ready when easily pierced through with a knife.
(You want the pears to be tender and not mushy, so keep an eye on them)
Allow the pears to cool in the liquid. The longer the pears sit in the liquid the more flavour they will absorb.
Once liquid has cooled down to room temp, remove pears with a slotted spoon and place in a container. Place pears in the fridge. Bring the poaching liquid back to the boil and simmer until reduced to a third of a cup in quantity. Transfer to a container and put in the fridge.
Pastry 125 gr really cold unsalted butter (1/2 cup) 1 packet vanillin sugar 25g + 1 tablespoon sugar or 3 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 cups plain flour (214g) ¼ teaspoon of salt (about a pinch) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons freezing cold water
small egg for egg wash only!
Method
While the pears are poaching prepare pastry
Combine flour, sugar, salt in a food processor and pulse 3 times. Add butter and pulse roughly 5-6 times or until mixture resembles bread crumbs. With the food processor running, slowly pour the water and vanilla extract, processing until the dough forms a ball.
Form dough ball into a disc ( with minimum handling). cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a minimum of one hour.
Pre heat the oven to 190C
Take the dough out of the fridge and lightly dust a large sheet of baking paper on your work bench enough to hold 35 cm circle, sprinkle a little flour on the dough and using a rolling pin start to roll out the dough from the centre of the dough creating a 35cm circle.
Arrange pears any way you like making sure your leave a 5cm border.
Fold the boarder over the pear, doesn’t matter if it overlaps it adds to the presentation.
Brush border with egg wash.
Slide the galette, with the baking paper onto a flat baking tray and bake for
30-35 minutes depending on your oven! So please check the galette.
Serve pear galette with syrup, Ice cream or and cream.
Please note: I bought firm pears and I sliced them once they have been poached and cooled down.
You can make the dough a day ahead (leave it in the fridge in the shape of a disc covered in plastic until ready to roll out. Pears can be poached three days ahead just leave them in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.