This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.
Hi Bold Bakers!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette is a gorgeous dessert that’s brimming with juicy fruit and wrapped in my Flaky Sour Cream Pie Crust. This easy free-form pie is a dream for summer parties or a weeknight treat.
Because it’s so pretty and fresh but totally no-fuss, you’ll want to make Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette all summer long.
- The first reason I adore galette is its simplicity. Neither will you have to lift a pie crust over the filling, nor will you have to bother with crimping!
- Another reason I adore galettes is that they’re extremely forgiving. This beautifully rustic dessert is not supposed to look too perfect. Homeyness is part of a galette’s charm!
- Last but not least, this Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette is incredibly delicious! In less than an hour, you’ve got richly colored, beautiful fruit bubbling up in the center and surrounded by craggy folds of golden brown pie crust. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’re golden!
Table of Contents
- What is an Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette?
- Tools You Need
- Key Ingredients for Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette and Why
- How to Make Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette
- Can I Make Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette in Advance?
- How Do I Store Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette?
- FAQs
- Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- More Galette Recipes to Enjoy
What is an Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette?
Galettes can refer to a few types of French sweet or savory pastries, but the most common is a fruit galette. You simply place the seasonal fruit filling in the middle of a disc of pastry, fold the edges up, and bake.
Tools You Need
- Baking sheet and parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Apple peeler
- Apple corer
- Knife
- Rolling pin
- Pastry brush
Key Ingredients for Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette and Why
Apples
- Use Granny Smith apples for the best flavor and texture. While sweeter varieties of apples are great raw, when cooked they become mushier in texture and they let off more water, leading to a runny filling.
- The Granny Smith apple acts as a sponge to soak up the excess liquid released by the blueberries as the galette bakes.
- I like to chop up the apples so they cook up faster.
Blueberries
- I adore blueberries! They taste amazing, with almost a floral flavor, and they bake up so beautifully. And an apple blueberry galette is a winning combination, with a perfect tart and sweet balance.
- When they’re in season, I love to use fresh blueberries. But, the good news is if blueberries are off-season you can always use frozen blueberries instead.
- Blueberries are often frozen at the peak of the season on the farm, so they may taste better than using fresh berries off-season.
Dark brown sugar
- Apples and berries love brown sugar. It gives fruits a lovely caramelly flavor.
- Because of the sweetness of the fruit, this recipe doesn’t require lots of sugar. It’s there to enhance the apple and blueberry flavors.
- No brown sugar in the cupboard? Check out How to Make Brown Sugar.
Lemon juice
Lemon is a flavor enhancer that brings out the flavor of fruits.
Cornstarch (aka “cornflour”)
- Cornstarch thickens the natural juice the apples and berries release during baking.
- If you are allergic you substitute with potato starch at a 1:1 ratio or wheat (white/AP) flour, arrowroot powder, tapioca starch; or rice flour at a 2:1 ratio (use twice as much substitute for cornstarch).
Vanilla bean paste
- Vanilla bean paste elevates the flavor of the galette and gives it a sophisticated touch.
- You can substitute pure vanilla extract for vanilla bean paste at a 1.5 :1 ratio. You can make your own with How to Make Your Own Extracts.
Flaky Sour Cream Pie Crust
Check out this flaky tender Sour Cream Pie Crust which is perfect for a refreshing fruity galette!
How to Make Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette
Prep
- Preheat the oven. Pastry loves a hot oven, so make sure you do so.
- Peel, core, and chop apples and place in a medium bowl.
Make the filling
- Add brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and vanilla bean paste to the chopped apples. Mix well to incorporate the cornstarch, as it will absorb the juices released from the apples.
- Fold in the blueberries gently.
Assemble the galette
- Roll out the prepared Flaky Sour Cream Pie Crust dough into a circle 1/4-inch thick and transfer to the parchment paper-covered baking sheet.
- Pour the filling in the middle of the crust, and be careful to leave a 2-inch border all around.
- Fold the border of the pie crust up toward the fruit, leaving the filling in the center uncovered.
- Brush the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the pastry is golden brown.
Can I Make Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette in Advance?
- You can make the Flaky Sour Cream Pie Crust in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze it for up to two months.
- You can assemble the dessert up to 24 hours in advance and bake it fresh for when you need it.
How Do I Store Apple Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette
The best way to store a galette is to cover the galette loosely with plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature for up to two days. If desired, rewarm at 300°F for 10 minutes.
FAQs
Can I use a pre-made pie crust?
You can’t beat homemade pie crust, but if you’re short on time, go for a store-bought crust.
Can I substitute other fruit?
Yes, you can use the bounty and variety of seasonal fruit to your advantage. The beauty of a galette is any berries, stone fruits like peaches and plums, or apples and pears will work well.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Granny Smith apples are best since they don’t get mushy and are a tart contrast to sweet blueberries, but you can use any apples you have.
- Cover the top crust (or just the edges) with aluminum foil if the crust begins to overbrown before the apples are tender.
- To make it extra bold, top with my Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream or use my recipe for How to Make Whipped Cream.
- The Flaky Sour Cream Pie Crust works best but you can use of my pie crusts. See How to Make a Pie Crust Recipe Perfectly Every Time!
- Keep your oven clean by placing a baking sheet on a lower rack to catch any drippings.
More Galette Recipes to Enjoy
- Mushroom Galette Recipe
- Tomato and Ricotta Galette Recipe
- Rustic Summer Fruit Galette
- Homemade Galette des Rois (King Cake)
- Homemade Frangipane
Apple, Blueberry and Vanilla Bean Galette Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large Granny Smith apples (about 15oz/426g)
- 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) blueberries, fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup (1 ¼ oz/43 g) dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 recipe Flaky Sour Cream Pie Crust
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon water
- Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Peel, core and slice the apples ¼ inch (1½ cm) thick and place in a medium bowl.
- To the bowl, stir in brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch and vanilla bean paste until well mixed, then gently fold in the blueberries. Set aside.
- On a floured surface, roll out the pie crust on it into a ¼ inch (1 ½ cm) thick circle, and then transfer the crust to the prepared baking sheet. (If you wish, trim the edges of the pie crust to make a neater circle.)
- Leaving a generous 2-inch (5 cm) border all around, pour the apple filling into the center of the pastry.
- Fold the pastry edges up over the apples all around. The pastry will pleat slightly and the filling in the center will be exposed.
- Whisk the egg yolk with the water to make an egg wash, and then brush over the pastry.
- Sprinkle the pastry with granulated sugar and bake for roughly 45-55 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown. If the crust starts to over brown before the apples are cooked, cover the pastry with a ring of tin foil.
- Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving with vanilla ice-cream. Store leftovers, loosely covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Could I use vanilla powder in place of vanilla paste?