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 1/3 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
- 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 remaining 1/3 cup 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.
© 2026 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.
Christina
June 14, 2025 at 4:05 pmOnce you know the rules, you’re allowed to break them (at least in cooking!) Looks like a lovely galette, David. Pass me some freshly whipped cream, no sugar 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
June 15, 2025 at 5:52 amThanks, Christina — rule breaking is fun!
Inger
June 14, 2025 at 7:40 pmBeautiful as always David! I actually find I’m more likely to make a successful pie crust if I use a food processor, so I’m totally with you on that. And I love the idea of not chilling so guess who’s trying that her next pie crust! I think maybe I’m feeling strawberry rhubarb galette!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 15, 2025 at 5:54 amThanks, Inger — after making crust in the processor for years, I decided to play with the old fashioned method and learned I really enjoy it. But it does take a bit more fussing and, when in a hurry, my processor is always there for me. Your strawberry rhubarb sounds delightful… I’m a huge fan of rhubarb pies.
angiesrecipes
June 15, 2025 at 3:55 amWell, rules are made to be broken, ain’t they? Many people don’t like salt in their desserts, so you are not alone. The galette looks fabulous and I would love mine with some clotted cream :-))
Cocoa & Lavender
June 15, 2025 at 5:55 amI’m glad I am not alone I’m like]I’m slat-fee desserts, though I will add so,e to the top of a chocolate tart. Clotted cream, it is!
Valentina
June 17, 2025 at 6:28 pmI love how pretty a fruit Galette can be — rustic and perfect with the bright colors of whatever fruits are used. The blueberries are gorgeous! And I’m all for breaking cooking/baking rules. 😀 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
June 17, 2025 at 9:58 pmIt’s funny, Valentina, I’m always telling Mark that he needs to follow the recipe/rules, but I’m the first to not follow the recipe/break the rules! 🤷🏼♂️
Jeff the Chef
June 18, 2025 at 7:03 amYou rule breaker! 🙂 You know, the more that I cook, the more that I realize that there are many, many, many different ways of doing the same thing. Especially when you’re talking about something as common as pie dough. The important thing is, you have to find the way that works best for you, and stick with that. What I love about your blog is that I so often read about ways of doing things that I’d never considered, and I get to try them out and see if they’ll wind up in my “the rules I break” journal!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 18, 2025 at 2:19 pmI’m a rebel… what can I say, Jeff? I’m honored that you want to add some of my rebellious playbook to yours!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
June 23, 2025 at 1:35 pmBeautiful rustic galette with a perfect summer filling. And you know what else could be a good addition? You’re right – a touch of lavender!
David Scott Allen
June 24, 2025 at 8:44 amIndeed, I have added lavender many a time. The triple combination is pretty amazing!
Raymund
June 25, 2025 at 7:17 pmI love how you break all the ‘rules’ and still nail it—makes me feel way less intimidated about pie crust!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 26, 2025 at 8:47 amI try to convince people all the time how easy it is to make pie crust from scratch… and the worst part is that so many people think that a store bought crust is “just as good.” There is no accounting for taste!
2pots2cook
July 11, 2025 at 2:33 amWith you all the way! Irresistible one!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 12, 2025 at 10:37 amI’ve made so many in the past couple of weeks. They are so good!