Mini Almond Pear Galettes Recipes

These individual almond pear galettes make a beautiful Tu B’Shvat dessert or side dish. This recipe does have multiple steps, but they’re all pretty simple. Conveniently, the crust and the almond filling can both be made in a food processor. And the pears are just sliced and mixed with two ingredients. Simple!
Instead of the 10 small galettes, you can also choose to make 2 larger galettes or 12+ really mini galettes.

Crust
2½ cups flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut oil, solid (you can substitute butter or margarine)
4 tablespoons ice water
2-4 tablespoons cold vodka (you can substitute water)

Almond Filling
6 tablespoons coconut oil, solid (you can substitute butter or margarine)
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract  (use less or omit if you don’t like strong almond taste)
1 cup almond flour/ground almonds
2 tablespoons flour

Pears
4 pears (I like Bosc pears for color contrast)
juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons sugar

egg, for brushing
sliced almonds, for garnishing
turbinado/raw sugar, for sprinklingcv

1. Prepare the crust: In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, and salt. Add coconut oil in clumps and pulse a few times until a crumbly dough forms. Do not pulse till smooth. Add in the water and 2 tablespoons vodka, and pulse a couple more times until dough is crumbly again. If dough sticks together when pressed between fingers, there’s enough liquid. If it’s too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons more vodka.
2. Pack dough together with your hands and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill for 40 minutes in the fridge or 25 minutes in the freezer.
3. Prepare filling. Clean out bowl of food processor and blend together coconut oil and sugar until smooth. Add egg and extracts, and blend until smooth again. Add almond meal and flour, and blend again. Set filling aside.
4. Slice pears into thin wedges (leave peels on). Add wedges to a medium bowl and toss with the lemon juice and sugar until pears are evenly coated.
5. To assemble, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Flour work surface and rolling pin. Divide chilled dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll out first piece of dough into a thin circle (doesn’t have to be perfect).  Drop a generous dollop of almond filling onto center of dough and spread it a little, leaving a 1-inch border of dough empty all around. Place a handful of pear wedges on top of the filling, arranging as desired.
6. Fold over the dough border on top of the pears. Brush the border with a beaten egg. Sprinkle sliced almonds on the border of the galette, and then sprinkle turbinado/raw sugar over entire galette. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Place galettes on prepared baking sheets and place the sheets in the freezer for 20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400ºF. Bake galettes for 22-26 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom. Serve warm with ice cream and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar if desired.

 

Yield: 10 individual galettes