This rustic sourdough apple galette is nearly effortless. Sourdough starter, einkorn flour, and plenty of butter make a flaky, flavorful crust, while cinnamon and brandy bring out the best in the apples.
I make more galettes than, perhaps, any other pastry. A food processor makes putting the crust together a breeze, and then you just roll out the dough, fill it and bake. The result is an ultra-crisp, flaky crust and an utterly tender filling.
In the summertime, I fill galettes with berries. And in autumn, I fill them with apples and spice. Or sometimes pumpkin and herbs for a savory version. It's easier to throw together than a pie, and the rustic appearance is beautiful in an old-world charming kind of way.
Key Ingredients
Einkorn is an ancient variety of wheat with a rich, nutty flavor and a soft texture. Because it's high in beta-carotene, it yields a pleasant golden color to baked goods. It's my first choice for pastries owing to its rich flavor, excellent nutritional profile, and super soft texture.
Where to Buy Einkorn Flour
Buying groceries is a chance to support the food system you believe in. That's why I love Grand Teton Ancient Grains, a sixth-generation American farm growing regenerative grains. They're one of my favorite sources for einkorn, whether I need flour or whole grains.
Sourdough discard lends a touch of acidity to the crust, and helps bind the flour together with the butter so that the dough rolls out easily. I recommend using a 100% hydration starter made with all-purpose or bread flour as they tend to be the most reliable.
Butter adds richness and also helps to develop a impossibly flaky crust. Start with super cold butter to achieve the right texture. If your kitchen is warm and your butter turns soft, you may want to toss your dough into the fridge to firm up a bit.
I favor salted butter in this recipe (and most of my cooking). If using unsalted butter, make sure to add a pinch of salt for balance. You can also swap in chilled lard for a dairy-free option.
The filling is made up of a little more einkorn flour combined with sugar and cinnamon. Einkorn flour binds with the juices released by the apple during baking, preventing your crust from going soggy.
Sugar adds sweetness. I favor using a minimally processed cane sugar, such as panela or rapadura, but you can use any dry sweetener you prefer. Maple sugar is lovely. Brown sugar and coconut sugar work in a pinch.
Cinnamon is a natural companion for apples, and my favorite choice. But I've made a delicious version with ginger and cardamom, so choose what resonates with you. Be judicious so that whichever spice you choose complements, rather than overwhelms the apples which should be the dominant flavor.
Brandy heightens the apple's flavor -- just makes it a little bit stronger and more lively. I also use it in my Apple Dutch Baby and most of my fall bakes.
Tips for Making the Galette
Keep your butter cold. The real trick to a flaky crust is developing pockets of butter. As the butter heats up in the oven, it expands and causes the dough to puff up. And that's where you get an ultra-flaky texture.
If you feel your dough getting a little too warm or pliable while you work it, transfer it to the fridge to cool off. A food processor quickly pulls the dough together, and lowers the chances of the butter getting too warm.
Einkorn flour, because it has a weaker gluten structure than modern wheat, leads to a super-tender crust. It's also a little stickier than modern wheat, so make sure you're working on a well-floured surface.
Chill the dough in the fridge before rolling it out. Again, to keep the butter nice and firm and not too pliable. Thirty minutes is sufficient.
You'll make 'crust dust' to keep your crust from becoming too moist and soggy while it bakes. Crust dust is a combination of flour and sugar and it helps absorb fruit juices so that your crust stays firm and flaky. In this version, you'll add a little cinnamon for flavor, too.
Our Other Favorite Fall Apple Recipes
Recipe Questions
Yes. Place the assembled unbaked galette on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate in the freezer. Freeze until solid, then wrap well in plastic wrap and transfer to a resealable freezer bag.
Store the baked galette at room temperature in a bread box, and consume within 2 days.
Diane F says
I made this for Sunday dinner dessert and it was a hit. I served it with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream. The crust was wonderfully flaky and the apples were cooked to perfection sliced from my mandolin on the second setting (3mm).
Jenny says
I'm so glad you liked it!!
Marla says
Hi Jenny,
Love your recipes so much! I'd like to make this with ww einkorn. Tips?
Thank you!
Jenny says
Hi Marla!
So I've been fiddling with this recipe for a long time, trying to make it WW. And ... well ... it's tricky. In all the WW iterations, the crust develops a sort of gritty rather than flaky texture. It's still good. Still delicious. But the texture's not quite right.
In my testing, I found that to maintain the flakiness, you can substitute up to 1/3 of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat. If you go beyond that, you'll still have a good crust flavor-wise but the texture won't be flaky.