This Apricot Almond Galette with Cream Cheese Crust highlights sunny, seasonally sweet & tart apricots on tender & flaky dough with crunchy sliced almonds.
Summer charms the pants right off of me. Here we are in the first weeks of summer and the thermometer is climbing into triple digits. Hence the lack of pants. With the hot temps, long days and short pants comes a bounty of summer produce at its peak. My Cream Cheese Pie Dough was in the back of my mind when I spotted some red apricots at my local market. At that moment, I knew I wanted to bake them into a galette. After much deliberation of flavors, I landed on this recipe for an Apricot Almond Galette with Cream Cheese Crust. And I have a feeling it may charm the pants right off of you.
The Pacific Northwest is a spectacular place to be during the summer months. With verdant forests, babbling brooks, idyllic weather and warm evenings that don't even require a hoodie. The late sunsets trick you into staying up well into the twilight hours without an inclining of sleepiness. It's pretty much perfect and I seem to forget about it every February when I am cursing the greyest days of the year. So this season, I'm basking in this early summer sun every moment I can and fully enjoying all of the fabulous market finds this glorious weather provides.
Which brings us to apricots. Until recently, I didn't think apricots had much to offer. I thought they were a food reserved for old timers only, like prunes or Werther's hard candies. Turns out, I've been missing out! Apricots are pure gold and they're even more amazing when baked into an Apricot Almond Galette with Cream Cheese Crust
But are apricots really the direction you want to go when there are so many beautiful stone fruits and berries in season? I'm gonna say that's a big 'ol, emphatic hell yeah! Like me, you might be surprised by just how dang delicious these little golden orbs actually are. I first started obsessing over them a couple of years back when I added some fresh slices to the top of my Apricot Plumcot Goat Cheese Tart. They really sealed the deal on this truly spectacular tart.
There's something about apricots.
- Variety is the spice of life. There are dozens of apricot varieties out there. From the golden globes to deep red beauties that have been cross bred with plums.
- Pack a punch. These little stone fruits are filled with juicy, full flavor hidden under a delicate, thin skin.
- Best of both worlds. Apricots can be sour or sweet. The riper they become, the sweeter they get.
- She's a superfood. Apricots are loaded with fiber, vitamin A and beta-carotene. And they are an antioxidant so they are basically a superfood that makes you feel super! Right?
- XXX. Apricots are an ancient fruit with ties back to biblical times. For centuries they've been known as an aphrodisiac. So you can go ahead and use that knowledge as you desire.
Have I convinced you to join team apricot yet? If not, let's chat about the crust real quick. Then we'll circle back.
In Crust we Trust.
- Classics never go out of style. It all starts with with my classic, tried and true All Butter Vodka Pie Crust. I've been using this recipe for at least 15 years and it never fails me.
- Hot 'n Steamy. The vodka in the crust evaporates fast than water, creating little steam filled pockets that puff up like croissant dough when they hit the heat. Making for an airy, extra flaky crust.
- My tenderoni. This All Butter Vodka Pie Crust is already all kinds of tender. But when you add in the cream cheese and make the Cream Cheese Pie Dough, it's almost like biting into a pastry lined cloud with a hint of golden crustiness on the outer shell.
- Crunchtastic. The tenderness of the inner pastry, combined the the flaky layered effect only gets enhanced with the addition of crunchy, crisp, sliced almonds. They give the crust a 3rd dimension of texture and flavor.
With all of that said, this Apricot Almond Galette with Cream Cheese Crust brings the best in both crust and filling. Almonds and apricots are a natural pairing since almond and apricot trees are closely related. Both belong to the prunus family, you might know them as stone fruits. Cherries, nectarines, peaches and plums are their famous cousins. The flavors align naturally, making apricots and almonds a match made in prunus paradise.
Speaking of cherries, my Cherry Hand Pies with Cream Cheese Crust recipe also uses this tender pie dough. It is such a versatile pie dough that works well for everything from galettes to pies and hand pies.
This recipe is an easy summer bake that highlights peak of the season apricots. I used a combination of golden apricots and red apricots here but you can use whatever is calling to you. Or even bring is some cousins - cherries, nectarines, you get the picture. Feel free to make this Apricot Almond Galette with Cream Cheese Crust work with what you have access to.
The rich and tender crust envelopes the bright and summery apricots in a buttery embrace with the kiss of almond crunch. This laid back, Apricot Almond Galette with Cream Cheese Crust is one of the best ways to make the most of summer produce without spending too much time in the hot kitchen.
It's rustic, simple and filled with flavors that will have you going back for seconds and thirds, late into those warm, magic, summer twilight hours. Just be aware that there is a chance you might need to ditch the pants in order to enjoy that last slice of this galette on late summer night. I can personally recommend this life choice.
Recipe
Apricot Almond Galette with Cream Cheese Crust
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
Description
This summery Apricot Almond Galette with Cream Cheese Crust highlights sunny, seasonally sweet & tart apricots atop tender & flaky dough with crunchy sliced almonds.
Ingredients
- 1 disk Cream Cheese Pie Dough (* recipe linked in notes below)
- 1 ½ lbs. fresh apricots (- about 4 heaping cups when sliced)
- ½ medium lemon (- zested and juiced)
- ¼ - ½ cup granulated sugar (- if your apricots are still really tart, use ½ cup sugar)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (- cut into small cubes)
Instructions
- Remove Cream Cheese Pie Dough from the refrigerator 20-30 minutes to soften on the counter before rolling. If the dough is frozen, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 1 ½ - 2 hours before rolling.
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Halve apricots, remove the seed and slice into 6-8 slices.
- Combine sliced apricots, sugar, lemon zest & lemon juice and almond extract in a large mixing bowl. Stir together and allow the fruit to sit for at least 15 minutes while you roll out the dough.
- Roll the dough disk into a 12"-14" round. Then transfer to a lined baking sheet. Whisk the egg together with 1-2 tablespoons of water. Lightly brush a thin layer of egg on the surface of the dough before adding the filling to help prevent a soggy bottom. The proteins in the egg will strengthen as the galette bakes and create a barrier between the dough and filling.
- Gently spread the apricot filling over the center of the dough leaving a 2" border all the way around.
- Carefully lift and fold the edge up and over the filling, allowing the dough to naturally pleat at 2-ish inch intervals as you fold. It should pleat around 12 times as you work your way around.
- Lightly brush the mixture over the exposed dough edge and sprinkle liberally with sliced almonds. Dot the apricot filling with the cubes of butter. If you really want to ensure your galette holds its shape, especially on hot summer days, place the galette (on the baking sheet) in your freezer for at least 15-20 minutes until it firms up. Then bake directly from the freezer. *You can also, freeze it days ahead. Just keep in mind it may take a few additional minutes to bake through.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The crust should be a deep golden brown with extra toasty almonds and the fruit should be soft.
Allow to cool, then slice into wedges to serve. Tastes great with fresh whipped cream or à la mode.
Notes
Cream Cheese Pie Dough recipe - https://bakingthegoods.com/2020/07/21/cream-cheese-pie-dough/
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
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