Rules I Break.
There are so many rules around making pie crust; they leave the impression that it is a fussy business. But not all the rules need be followed; I break them all the time and yet achieve great pie pastry.
To start, I don’t refrigerate my pastry before rolling (you can, you just don’t need to); simply work quickly so the dough doesn’t get too warm. And then, I sometimes use a food processor to make dough, and even then it turns out perfectly. Finally, I never use salt or salted butter in my dessert pastry; I don’t care what the experts say about salt “enhancing the flavor.” This is a matter of personal taste; I simply don’t like salty desserts. Period.
My complete disregard for these rules may raise a few hackles, but to each their own. No guest at my table has ever thrown down their napkin in disgust and spouted, “This pie crust wasn’t refrigerated! It was made in a food processor! It needs salt!” My recipe for Blueberry Lemon Galette is a great illustration of my rule-breaking prowess… Enjoy!
~ David
Blueberry Lemon Galette
To print this recipe, please click the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided
- 2 tablespoons plus scant 1/2 cup sugar, divided
- 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (4 ounces)
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 1 pound fresh blueberries, rinsed
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup sugar
- egg white
- additional sugar for sprinkling
- vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Place flour and 2 tablespoons sugar in the bowl of a food processor; cover and pulse once to blend. Cut the butter into 16-20 pieces and scatter over the flour. Cover and pulse 10 times. Drizzle in the ice water; cover and use long pulses to form a dough — it usually takes me 24-26 long pulses. The dough will form a ball when it’s ready. Don’t continue any further.
- Flour your counter well. Form the dough ball into a smooth disk and flour on both sides. Roll out to an 12-inch to 14-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch pie plate. It will hang out over the edges; do not trim. Set aside. (See note.)
- Place rinsed berries in a medium bowl and sprinkle with lemon zest and lemon juice. Add sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons flour and toss well to blend. Scrape the filling into the center of the crust and even out. Working your way around, fold the pastry inward to cover the berries, overlapping the dough each time you fold a section inward. The center of the filling, as seen in the photos, will not be covered. Brush the dough with egg white, then sprinkle lightly with sugar.
- Transfer the galette to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking for 35-40 minutes, until visible berries at center are bubbling.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool somewhat before serving. It is also delicious at room temperature.
- For serving, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to each plate, if desired.
- Serves 8.
- Notes:
- • Many people make a galette on a cookie sheet but, in that method, the dough will sometimes split and the filling ooze out. Using a pie plate keeps the filling in, the form intact, and yields good results.
- • A galette and a crostata are basically the same; one is French, the other Italian.
© 2025 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
FEL!X
June 14, 2025 at 4:57 amI would love it!
Well, I like blueberries very much. Only not the big ones from a farm.
But the time we collected them ourselves was in the past…
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2025 at 7:04 amI used to love collecting the berries in our Maine woods, too. But every once in a while I am surprised by some that come from farms. Where you and I live, we don’t have much choice!
Carolyne
June 14, 2025 at 6:21 amSimply delicious 😋
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2025 at 7:04 amThanks, Carolyne! Happy Summer!
Mad Dog
June 14, 2025 at 6:51 amThat looks beautiful, my savoury taste buds are wavering!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2025 at 7:05 amThanks, Mad Dog. Sometimes these simple dishes just hit the spot!
Barb
June 14, 2025 at 7:42 amThis galette is a perfect summer desert. I have wonderful memories of my grandmother when I was a child making a small one with the leftover pastry dough and berries when she was making pies for company. She and I would share it shortly after it came out of the oven. I think most great recipes achieve that status because someone broke the rules! That’s what makes cooking fun!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2025 at 7:45 amThank you, Barb! Those special memories with our moms are the best, aren’t they? My mom and I used up the leftover pastry dough to make jam tarts — I still do that to this day! I almost said this on the blog, but sometimes I just don’t have time for all the rules!
Colette Joseph
June 14, 2025 at 8:10 amI love it when you break rules.
Too bad I’m not present to engulf your delectable creations!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2025 at 9:11 amBreaking rules is fun!
We will have to work on you being present someday for a treat!
Gerlinde de Broekert
June 14, 2025 at 10:00 amIt is OK to break rules David, I do it all the time and so did Julia Child. Galettes are such a wonderful summer dessert . I’m thinking of making a Galette with peaches.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2025 at 10:02 amA peach galette would be wonderful! I’m planning on picking up lots of peaches tomorrow at the market! Isn’t it fun breaking the rules?
Eha Carr
June 14, 2025 at 2:41 pmEven if galettes et al are not quite ‘my thing’ I love blueberries, break rules often without trying and would have a piece of your beauty without a single ‘correcting’ comment 🙂 !
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2025 at 2:51 pmThanks, Eha — blueberries are the best and they are so healthy!
sherry
June 14, 2025 at 3:42 pmthis looks beautiful David. I do love the look of a rustic galette! and it seems so much easier than making a regular pie somehow.
sherry
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2025 at 3:51 pmThanks! It really is easier, Sherry — less fuss. And it’s also a wee bit healthier than a two-crust pie! Well, until you add the vanilla ice cream.