Strawberry Chocolate Galette

Step 1

In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine and allow to macerate until the sugar dissolves and the fruit softens.

Step 2

Drain the fruit of its syrup. Discard syrup or use for another use.

Step 3

Sprinkle the cornstarch over the strawberries and mix to combine. Add the chocolate chips. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Step 4

About an hour before you plan to make your pie crust, place the butter cubes in the freezer. The colder the butter, the better your chances of achieving a nice flaky crust.

Step 5

Once your butter is sufficiently chilled, place the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse about 5 times until flour, salt, and sugar are combined. Add the butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 12 pulses total. You should be left with quite a few pea size pieces of butter.

Step 6

Remove ice from your water, add 2 tablespoons of water to the food processor and plus 2-3 times. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing with each addition. The mixture should just barely clump together at this point, yet have a crumbly look to it. Test by pinching some of the dough and if it comes together, then it’s ready to use. If not, keep adding one tablespoon of water at a time, giving it 2-3 pulses each time. I’ve made this crust many times and it’s never taken more than 4 tablespoons of water. Make sure you don’t add too much; otherwise your crust won’t be flaky.

Step 7

Turn the crumbly dough over a lightly flour surface and gather it into a rough circle. Handle the dough as carefully as possible so as not to activate too much gluten which can toughen your pie crust. Your pie crust should be dotted with gorgeous pieces of butter. Lightly sprinkle flour over surface of the dough.

Step 8

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour to chill. If using the dough another day, place in the freezer. When ready to use, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. Dough keeps well in the freezer for about a month.

Step 9

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and set a large cookie sheet on your counter. Tape the corners of a rectangular sheet of parchment paper on your counter and lightly flour it.

Step 10

Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator. Turn the dough onto the lightly floured rectangle of parchment paper. Lightly sprinkle the top with flour and with a rolling pin, roll a circle that’s roughly 12-14 inches in diameter and about 1/8 of an inch thick, giving the dough a quarter turn as you roll.

Step 11

To make sure the dough doesn’t stick underneath, lift the dough every couple of turns and lightly sprinkle with flour underneath as needed. If your circle doesn’t turn out perfect, that is OK. We’re not going for perfection here. Place the dough in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Step 12

After 15 minutes or so remove the pie dough, from the refrigerator. Sprinkle the strawberry/chocolate mixture in the center of the pie dough, patting it down a bit, leaving about a 2-inch border of pie dough.

Step 13

Fold the border over the strawberry/chocolate mixture, pleating the edges as best you can. Again, it doesn’t have to be perfect. The center of the galette should remain open with the fruit exposed. Remove tape from sides of parchment paper and carefully transfer the parchment with the prepared galette onto the cookie sheet. Brush the edges of the galette with beaten egg and sprinkle the surface with granulated sugar.

Step 14

Place cookie sheet in the oven and bake until the edges of the galette are a nice golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

Step 15

Remove galette from the oven and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.