Alison Roman Apple Galette Food

FRENCH APPLE GALETTES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Unfold the sheets of puff pastry and cut each sheet into quarters. Place the pastry pieces on the prepared sheet pans and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.
• Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stems. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baler. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally across each piece of pastry and place a slice of apple on each side. Sprinkle the full 3/4 cup of sugar over all the pastry pieces and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 40 minutes, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the galettes will be fine! When the galettes are done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the galettes with a metal spatula so they don't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

DEEP-DISH HONEY APPLE GALETTE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Combine flour, sugar and kosher salt in a large bowl, and use your hands to mix well.
• Add the butter to the bowl, and use your palms and fingertips to smash the pieces into the flour until you've got large, flat butter pieces that are evenly distributed among the flour. Pop the bowl into the freezer for 5 or so minutes.
• Combine vinegar and 1/3 cup water, and drizzle over the flour-butter mixture. Like you're running your hands through sand, deliberately yet delicately mix the water into the flour/butter mixture. Resist the urge to add more water until you see that it's absolutely necessary, and even then, use only an additional tablespoon or two.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface, and use your palms to knead it lightly until the shaggy ball transforms into a slightly-less shaggy ball of dough. (It should still be relatively shaggy.) Pat the dough into a disc about 1 inch thick, rotating it to create a nice circle. Wrap in plastic or place in a resealable plastic bag and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator, and let it soften slightly at room temperature, about 10 minutes or so.
• As dough rests, make the filling: Combine apples, honey, 1/2 cup sugar, the flour, the vinegar and the cinnamon in a large bowl. Toss the ingredients so every slice of apple is evenly coated.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a circle about 18 inches in diameter. Transfer dough to a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan, or a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, letting it slump to meet the bottom of the pan and letting the overhang remain.
• Transfer the apple mixture and any juices that have accumulated to the crust. Drape the excess dough over the filling, covering the apples by about 1 1/2 to 2 inches. (Feel free to trim any dough that feels truly excessive.)
• Whisk the egg with a teaspoon of water and use it to brush the exposed crust. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using, the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and a little flaky salt.
• Place galette on a rimmed baking sheet (for easy cleanup should anything bubble over) and bake until the crust is deeply golden brown (about the color of a well-baked croissant), the apples are tender, and the juices are bubbling and thickened, 65 to 75 minutes.
• Remove galette from the oven and let cool completely (at least 2 hours) before slicing and eating, preferably with lots of ice cream.