Ginger Pear Galette

This ginger pear galette is one of my favorite desserts for autumn! It’s much simpler than traditional pie and takes just an hour to make. This rustic galette has buttery homemade pie dough, juicy pear filling, and a nice spice from fresh ginger. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream for a quick, delicious, and easy holiday dessert! (Originally posted on October 13, 2016).

Sometimes I yearn for the kind of life that involves an airy, brightly-lit house on a large, green property surrounded by a variety of fruit bushes, trees, roots, and stalks.  In my little dream, I don’t necessarily have a job per se, unless by “job” we’re talking something along the lines of “fruit-picker who makes artisan pies and breads and fresh salads while experimenting with ingredients all day”.  Then yeah, that’s my job.  Also, I wear a lot of sun dresses and big floppy hats.

Oh! Lastly, and I don’t want to ask for too much here, but since this is a dream after all, my life would include a flannel-beard partner who plays guitar and makes me pour-overs and we have at least 2 dogs.

I realize this dream is not very realistic, mostly because 1. nice flannel-beards who play guitar and make pour-overs are hard to come by these days and 2. I really like my big-city-luxuries if we’re being totally honest. However, a dream is a dream, and this particular dream inspired this ginger pear galette, a.k.a. maybe my new favorite autumn dessert.

Here’s why you need to make this ginger pear galette

This galette was thought-up the other day while I was walking my parents’ property, picking fresh apples and pears from their newly acquired fruit trees (from their newly acquired house, go figures). Stumped over what to do with a million red pears, I decided to follow my go-to philosophy surrounding fruit and all foods in general: turn it into a pie!

And like, ok, galettes aren’t pie but they kind of are. They’re just a much easier pie and you don’t have to wait hours to slice into it which is a bonus. This pear galette is jammy, has a nice spice thanks to fresh ginger and cinnamon, and it has a crisp, buttery crust. It’s simple and cozy and would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table. Especially, if say, you love the idea of baking but don’t want the commitment of an actual pie. This pear galette is for you!

What is a galette?

If you’ve never had a galette, it’s time to change your life. They’re the best! Galettes are a French pastry made with pie dough and fruit. (There’s also a savory version of a galette which is basically a buckwheat crepe, but that’s not what we’re talking about here).

Anyways, galettes are basically really thin pies, which I’m really into because I love the crust-to-filling ratio. Galettes are also more rustic (a.k.a. forgiving) and easy to make than regular pies. They also don’t require a ton of cooling time, so you can slice into them much faster. Win-win-win.

The ingredient list

The best part of galettes is that they only need a handful of ingredients. You’ll need:

• Pie dough – I always use my go-to recipe but any pie dough will work. You’ll only need one 9-inch pie dough which is usually half a recipe. Just freeze the other half for later or make 2 galettes! Use store-bought crust if you’re short on time.
• Lemon – to add a little tartness and keep the pears from browning.
• Pears – I use red pears in this recipe because I love how gorgeous they look when baked.
• Spices – fresh ginger and cinnamon. You can also use ground ginger.
• Demerara sugar – if you like a sugared crust. Totally optional though!
• Baking basics – flour, sugar, an egg, and Kosher salt.

How to make this easy, rustic galette

This galette comes together really quickly and easily. The perfect dessert situation!

1. Start by rolling out your pie dough into a 12” circle. It can be a little messy, but if you want clean edges, use a pizza roller to clean them up.
2. Next, slice the pears and toss them with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
3. Then, toss the pears with the sugar, flour, ginger, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
4. Spoon the pears into the center of the dough, leaving a 2” border on the pie dough. You can either leave the pears as-is for a rustic look or arrange the pears in a concentric circle.
5. Fold the edges of the pie dough over the filling.
6. Next, brush the edges of the pie dough with egg wash and sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
7. Finish by baking the galette at 400°F for 35-40 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the crust is deep golden-brown. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

What pears should I use?

I usually use some type of red pears when I make this galette because I think they look so pretty when they bake up. But sometimes, I like to switch things up! Here are my top picks for baking pears:

• Anjou – red or green will work. Anjou are buttery, juicy, and have a sweet, citrusy flavor. They also hold up perfectly when baking.
• Bartlett – these also come in green or red and have a buttery, sweet flavor. They don’t handle heat quite as well as Anjou, so you’ll want to choose pears that are a little underripe.
• Bosc – Bosc pears are very sweet when ripe and have a crunchy texture. They’re great if you like a bit of a bite in your galettes, because they hold their shape when baked.

No matter which pear variety you choose, make sure that the pears are ripe but still firm. Overripe pears will fall apart when you bake them and have a mushy texture. On the other hand, underripe pears will be tasteless and crunchy. To speed up the ripening process, you can put the pears in a brown bag for a 1-2 days before baking.

Serving ideas

You can’t go wrong with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But, I like to switch things up with butter pecan or salted caramel ice cream – so good! You can also just top slices of the ginger pear galette with whipped cream. For a little crunch, try adding a sprinkle of toasted pecans! Also, this galette goes perfectly with a cup of hot coffee. The perfect autumn combo!

Storing & freezing

If you have leftovers, place the galette slices in an airtight container and store for 2-3 days. I do not recommend refrigerating the galette, or it will get soggy.

To freeze the galette, wrap it tightly with parchment paper. Place the galette in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Unwrap and let it defrost at room-temperature for 1-2 hours. If you want to re-crisp the crust, bake it at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. Keep a close eye so it doesn’t burn!

Recipe tips & tricks

• Choose pears that are ripe but firm. Underripe pears will be flavorless but overripe pears will be mushy. You want a bit of firmness so the pears hold their shape when they’re baked.
• Peel the pears for a smoother texture. The skin on pears is pretty smooth already, but peeling the pears is an option if you like a softer filling.
• If you don’t want to use fresh ginger, you can always use ground ginger. Use 1 1/2 tsp. of ground ginger and add more, to taste.
• Chill the galette for 10-15 minutes before baking. This will help it holds its shape and make that pie dough nice and flaky.
• Let the galette cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing so the filling has time to firm up.

More autumn galettes & pies

Easy Pumpkin Custard Pie with Cardamom
Caramel Dutch Apple Pie with Brown Butter
Pumpkin Crisp with Maple Oat Streusel
Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Tart
Chocolate Cream Pie with Bourbon Butterscotch

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

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XO Sara Lynn

*Song of the Day: Flowers in Your Hair by The Lumineers