Peach and Marzipan Galette

Fresh ripe summer fruits are in abundance, and it’s hard to resist using them in different ways. One of my favorites is preparing a quick galette – a free form pie – with them. Finding beautiful fragrant peaches at the store, it was a quick decision to use them in the following galette.

As peaches and almonds complement each other beautifully, I’ve decided to use another portion of my homemade marzipan as a base layer for the peaches. In order to further enhance the almond flavor and aroma of the marzipan, I’ve added some almond flour to the dough as well.

The ripe peaches were very juicy, and, when mixed with the powdered sugar, created an aromatic syrup, which I’ve used for brushing the pastry and peaches before and while baking. This gave the pastry extra shine and enhanced the fruity aroma.

This lightly sweetened galette is at its best when freshly baked, and served slightly warm. Serve it as is, or with a scoop of marzipan ice cream on the side, and enjoy.

 

Notes:

* Unlike most galette recipes, I prefer to bake mine on lower temperatures. This helps the dough and fruit keep their shape better.
* Powdered sugar contains a small amount of cornstarch, which thickens the peach juice a bit. Don’t substitute it with regular sugar.

* The best option for Marzipan, is, obviously, homemade. If you don’t have it, make sure to use best quality Marzipan, as lesser ones tend to have unpleasant overpowering artificial aroma.

 

Makes: 6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Chilling time: 1 hour

Baking time: 35-40 minutes

 

Ingredients:

For the dough:

1 2/3 cups flour

1/3 cup almond flour

1 stick (115 grams) butter, cold, cut into cubes

1 Tbs sugar

¼ tsp salt

2 Tbs heavy cream, cold

1-2 Tbs ice water

For the topping:

1/3 cup marzipan, crumbled (see notes)

2 large ripe peaches, pitted and sliced

¼ cup powdered sugar

½ tsp fresh lemon juice

 

1. The dough: place the flour and almond flour in a food processor bowl, fitted with the metal blade. Add the butter, sugar and salt, and process to a crumbly mixture. Add the heavy cream and 1 Tbs ice water, and process just until dough is formed. If needed, add the extra Tbs water.
2. Transfer onto wax paper, and shape into a ball. (The less you handle the dough, the flakier it will be.) Cover with the wax paper and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, gently mix the sliced peaches, powdered sugar, and lemon juice in a medium bowl, and set aside.
4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Line a baking sheet pan with baking paper.
5. Roll the dough over lightly floured working space, to a large circle. Using an 11” (28 cm) plate, cut out a disc of dough, and transfer it to the lined pan. (Save leftover dough for preparing cookies, or smaller galette.)
6. Scatter the crumbled marzipan all over the dough, and arrange the peaches on top. Keep the peach liquid in the bowl.
7. Gently fold the edges of the dough over part of the outer circle of the peaches, towards the center, leaving the center uncovered. Brush the dough and peaches with a bit of the peach liquid.
8. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, brushing dough and peaches with a bit of the peach liquid every 10-15 minutes, until the pastry is golden.
9. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cutting board. Using a large, heavy knife, cut into six portions. Serve warm.