I took a deep breathe. I took one step. I was ready- ready for change.

I walked to the back of the plane and found my seat. 28A. I smiled nervously and squeezed past the dark man to my seat next to the window. I looked over at the seat across, surprised to see two sweet boys. Both wearing matching striped shirts, jumping up and down to the dismay of their tired mother. Their matching clothes, same curly hair and piercing brown eyes made it evident that they were identical twins.

“Just like Zoe and I,” I felt a leap in my chest, “I’ll see her in 2 hours..” I whispered to myself reassuringly.
Sitting on the plane, I tried to distract myself with music as seep would not succumb to me. I reflected on the past 2 months I had spent traveling in Hong Kong, Utah and now California. So many things have happened, so many things have changed. If there’s one thing to be learnt, it is this: Life is unpredictable. Change is inevitable. As memories clogged my mind, I felt a fleeting sense of pain and discouragement. Despite all the smiles, despite how seemingly perfect someone may seem, we all experience pain and disappointment hidden behind the walls we build up. It was in the middle of all this ups and downs that we decided to make this gluten free french galette together. First strawberries. Then Plums. It was the perfect way to distract myself and to focus on something exciting and challenging.  



I had always wanted to make a galette. It is literally the perfect solution to make a pie without a pie tin. A crumbly, buttery shortbread pastry encasing fresh fruit sprinkled with sugar. The juices of the fruit seeps to the crust below creating a playful contrast between the soft, buttery curst beneath and the crispy brown crust on the top. We giggled, we laughed, we ohh-ahhed in excitement as we decorated our very first galette together. Zoe was so nervous she kept pestering about what size to cut the fruit. To be quite honest, I had no idea. We just went on google to look at galettes to see how others had cut theirs.

When the galette came out of the oven, I was stunned. The first try, the crust was quite crumbly. But we were close. Glistening and shiny, the rose-red strawberries looked even more beautiful under the light next to the window. It wasn’t until recently we were able to return and put the final touches on this recipe. Even sour plums now tasted like heaven.

I heard the crack as I sliced into the galette, cutting out a pizza-sized piece of the tart. The rustic folds of the crust delicately fell in layers giving body and dimension to the dessert. I was stunned. Did we just make this?I smiled to myself, as I sat in the plane. Good, fond memories. I was grateful for the memories I hold dearly in my heart. The memories that remind of the people that I love. It wasn’t so much the fancy galette that made the memory so fond. It was more about the time I spent with my sister creating something beautiful, something we loved and something we could share. Galettes are made to share. Especially this french fruit galette.

Gluten Free French Galette

 

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Author: Unconventional Cooks

Serves: 2 Small or 1 large galette

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1.5 cups Almond Flour
• ½ cup tapioca starch
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, cold
• 1 egg
• Filling:
• 1⅔ cup strawberries
• 1-2 tbsp maple syrup (depending on how sweet your fruits are)
• 1 tbsp tapioca starch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Egg Wash: 1 egg, beaten

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Filling: Thinly slice strawberry. Mix the strawberries with maple syrup, vanilla and flour. Mix well and set aside.
3. Crust: Mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Add in the coconut oil and egg.
4. Knead with your hand.If it is too wet, add in some cold water. If it’s to dry add in some flour
5. Place a parchment paper and lay it over a large baking tray.
6. Using your fingers, press the dough into a round circle. You can make 2 small or 1 large galette. I find it easiest to just press the dough with your hands rather than using a rolling pin.
7. Layer the strawberries into the center of the dough leaving 1" rim around the outside.
8. Carefully fold over the excess edges over the strawberry center. The dough will split as you fold. Just press the edges gently with your fingers to blend in the edges.
9. Pour any remaining syrup from the fruit over the strawberries. This will keep the center moist.
10. Brush the folded edges with a beaten egg.
11. Bake for 30 minutes.
12. Serve immediately with whipped cream/ice cream. (The galette will soften and get more cake-like as it cools)

3.5.3251

Love,

Zoe & Mia