ULTIMATE MAGIC BARS

It’s a bit early for nectarines, but I saw them and had to have them. Sure they aren’t in season, nor are they at their very best in flavor, but who cares because the strawberries carry this dessert.

Now all I can imagine is how really great this will be when nectarines are finally in season.

Of course I could have thrown all the fruit in the pate brisee and kept the form free-flowing, but I decided to try making it in a pie pan after seeing it done on Martha Bakes. And I’m so glad I did because take a look at how perfectly shaped it is.

I’m keeping this one super short, because I am seriously nodding off as I write this post. That’s what happens when you sleep with a baby sling on your chest, sitting straight up for four nights, not to mention I got about 8-10 hours of sleep in four days—more on this coming soon.

STRAWBERRY AND NECTARINE GALETTE

YIELD: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Pate brisee:

• 1 3/4  cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Filling

• 6 oz. strawberries, sliced
• 6 oz. nectarines, (about 3 nectarines)
• 3 tablespoon sugar
• 1/3 cup apricot jam
• 2 tablespoon vodka

Directions:

To make Pate Brisee (recipe adapted fron here).

1. Place flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor pie. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow and steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator. Roll dough to an 1/8 inch thickness. Return rolled out dough to refrigerator while filling is being made.

To make filling:

1. Wash and hull strawberries and  seed nectarines. Slice strawberries and nectarines to an 1/8 of an inch. Toss in sugar and set aside for ten minutes; drain. Place apricot jam and vodka in a small pan and stir to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and set aside.

Assemble and finish

1. Transfer dough to a 9 inch pie pan (or alternately, skip the pan). Pour filling on the center of the dough. Fold and pinch edge over filling. Brush apricot glaze on top of fruit.  Brush edge with heavy cream and sprinkle coarse sugar along the perimeter of the galette. Transfer galette to an oven and bake at 350 degrees F for about 20-30 minutes.

http://www.bakersroyale.com/strawberry-and-nectarine-galette/