Once you make your first galette, you will be dreaming about the next one. This nectarine galette will be no exception.

One of the perks, when we lived in California, was the produce. For a couple of weeks, the stands in the grocery stores were pouring nectarines, and I thought what can I do with them? A nectarine galette, obviously…

Galettes are very easy to make, in fact, so easy that they are foolproof and also the perfect way to enjoy whatever fruit or vegetables are in season.

 

What is a Galette

Galettes are free-form tarts with rough edges that require just a little preparation. They taste like pie just by combining fruit or vegetables with some simple ingredients.  

They don’t necessarily need to be sweet, you can perfectly make savory galettes. You can make galettes featuring tomatoes, leeks, or any other vegetable.

 

 

What do you need to make a nectarine almond galette

• Dough.  You need the dough to wrap the fruit and create a crust to hold the filling. Homemade dough is best, of course, and the recipe is below.  You can use store-bought too, Pillsbury makes one that will work (not sponsored).
• Nectarines.  Fresh and ripe nectarines (they don’t need to be peeled!). You will know they are ripe when they don’t have any green on them and they give slightly to the touch without smushing. The sweetest ones will have tiny little white spots. Feel free to use peaches or any other fruit you prefer, just make sure to use the required amount for this recipe.
• Brown sugar.  Brown sugar will compensate for the sweetness of the fruit,  you will adjust the amount according to the ripeness of the nectarines, and brown sugar will make the fruit release its nectar.  It will also be used to create the almond layer.
• Almonds.  To make the almond layer: almonds, 1 egg yolk, brown sugar, and lemon zest. Stone fruit and almonds are a match made in heaven. It will also act as a barrier to separate the fruit and all its juices from the dough to prevent it from becoming too soggy.

How to make a galette

Make the dough in advance so that you can keep it cold. Cold dough will ensure a flaky crust due to the amount of butter in it. If you are using store-bought just follow the package instructions.

Pit and slice the nectarines and add the sugar. Let it rest for a few minutes so that they can release their juices and produce their natural nectar. Taste the fruit, that way you can adjust the flavor of the filling.

 

I used brown sugar swerve (this is not a sponsored post) just to make it a little lighter and almost guilt-free. The fruit tasted amazing, so I was very excited to see how the galette would turn out.

The almond layer

You could use jelly to separate the fruit from the crust.  We are using almonds, as one of the recipes from Williams-Sonoma and I cannot even tell you!

I had some Marcona almonds in the freezer – to me, these are the best almonds in the world. The Marcona almonds have a very particular taste. They are usually described as a mix between almonds and macadamia. 

They are originally from Spain and they are traditionally used to make “turron” and “mazapan” (nougat and marzipan). 

 

The almonds are toasted in order to release their oils, ground, and then mixed with one egg yolk, sugar, and lemon zest. That layer creates such a tasteful and crunchy crust between the dough and the fruit.

Spread around the dough in a circle leaving about one to one and a half inches of the border to roll in the dough and wrap the fruit.

The preparation of the dough is very easy, especially if you have a food processor. Since this is a free-form tart, you don’t really need any particular skills. It is a rustic dessert.

Arrange the fruit around the almond layer.  Fold the dough borders over the fruit leaving the center of the filling exposed and pour the juices over the fruit. Brush the border of the dough with egg wash, add sliced almonds, and sprinkle some sugar, you can use coarse sugar, turbinado, brown sugar, or even just granulated sugar.

Bake at 400° F (I had to bake it at 375° F since my oven is a terminator) for about 45 – 55 minutes and voila, you will be delighted!

 

I love to finish it with apricot glaze with amaretto (recipe in notes) and sprinkle some confectioners’ sugar around the edge.  Serve it warm with the glaze on the side and a scoop (or 2!) of vanilla ice cream so that it starts to melt… 

The combination of fruit, sugar, lemon zest, and almonds is divine! Honestly, you will start with a slice and will be thinking about having another.

This is a great dessert to entertain and also to enjoy by yourself or with the family.

 

 

If you are craving cherries you should definitely try my cherry galette. You can tell that I love galettes and I do! But I am also all about uncomplicated recipes 🙂

I hope you try it and please let me know how it turned out. I love to see your creations and receive your feedback here or here. xx

 

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Dessert of the Day, by Kim Laidlaw (Weldon Owen, 2013).

Published on October 12, 2016. Updated on June 10, 2022.