Mixed Berry Rustic Tart (Galette or Crostata)
This is a go-to super easy dessert to make for when you have a last minute get-together.
However, your friends will think you baked for hours when you bring this out to the table. I am including a recipe for the crust, but in a pinch, you can just use a store-bought crust – you know, the kind by the refrigerator pop open biscuits? You can unroll the pie crust, mix up the berry filling and have it in the oven in literally five short minutes.
Because it’s a free form “rustic” tart, it doesn’t even have to be crimped all pretty-like either. In France they call this a “galette” and in Italy they call this a “crostata”. I call it a “rustic tart” because I’m not exactly sure how to pronounce that first one properly, although I think it’s (gah-leht). Anyway, you can slice this up and add a scoop of ice cream to each slice, and you’ve got a delicious dessert with very little effort. You no longer have an excuse not to bake! Anyone can do this!
To make the tart – use one 10-inch pie crust. Roll it out fairly round but it doesn’t have to be perfect and put in on parchment paper or a Silpat sheet on a large cookie sheet. You could also use a baking stone without the paper.
See what I mean about round? I think mine is almost a square! Somehow me and pie dough don’t play well together very often.
Preheat your oven to 400º.
Measure out four full cups of mixed berries. I used raspberries and blueberries, but you could also do blackberries and slice strawberries or you could even just use one berry like blueberries if you are one of those OCD people who don’t like mixing things up.
Zest one large lemon right into the bowl with the berries, then cut it in half and squeeze half of the lemon’s juice in as well. Add in 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the bowl as well.
Now take a large spoon and gently fold the berries over until you get a glossy-opaque coating over all of them.
Man do I love raspberries. That picture alone is killing me right now.
Spoon your berries into the center of your pie crust, leaving at least an inch around the sides. Then take one small section and fold it over the berries.
Continue to fold the crust over the berries, making sure your last fold is overlapped by the one you’re folding.
Until you get all the way back around to where you started.
Then take one egg, drizzle about a tablespoon or so of water into it in a bowl and beat it up with a fork to mix it. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg all over the crust of your tart.
And take some of this stuff. (Or just use regular sugar).
Turbinado sugar is really wonderful to top things with. It lends a nice crunch factor that reminds me of rock candy.
And sprinkle it over the top of the berries and crust. (About 2 tablespoons).
Pop your tart into the oven for 35-40 minutes and don’t be like me and be where you can’t hear the timer. Mine crust got a tad overdone.
Slice it up and top each slice with a scoop of ice cream. Wasn’t that easy?
- 1 (10 inch) pie crust
- 4 c. mixed berries
- ½ c. sugar
- juice of ½ large lemon
- zest of one lemon
- ½ t. pure vanilla extract
- 2½ T. cornstarch
- pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 1 T. water
- 2 T. turbinado sugar
- Preheat oven to 400º
- Add cornstarch, sugar and salt together and wisk to mix well
- Add berries, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla to bowl and gently fold berries to mix
- Add dry ingredients and gently fold again to mix
- Spoon berries onto center of pie crust leaving about an inch and one-half around the edge to fold over berries
- Begin folding crust over berries in about 1½-2 inch sections overlapping each section to encase berries
- Mix egg and water and brush over the edges of crust
- Sprinkle sugar over berries and edge of crust.
- Bake 35-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown
- Let cool 10 minutes before serving
2 Comments
20 Mind-blowing Dessert Recipes
August 13, 2015 at 5:36 pm
27 Delightful Fruit Recipes
July 19, 2016 at 2:45 am