Beautiful Berry Galette (gluten-free, vegan)

Today has so far been an absolutely perfect summer day.  The whole family "slept in" (which means no one woke up before 7 a.m.), I took a trip to the bustling farmers' market this morning and came home with an arm load of beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables, I picked some greens and radishes from our own garden and made a salad which we enjoyed for lunch in the shade of our patio table, we spent a leisurely afternoon laughing and splashing together in the pool, and we're soon looking forward to a delicious grilled dinner complete with a homemade dessert.  Life doesn't get much better than this, I think!

Yesterday the August issue of Chatelaine magazine arrived in my mailbox, and I was immediately captivated by the cover photo of a gorgeous galette made with berries of all kinds.  I decided right then and there that I needed to create a gluten-free and vegan version of this summer treat for our family to enjoy.  I picked up some local strawberries and black raspberries at the market this morning, mixed up some almond flour pastry, and in very little time my own galette emerged fragrant and bubbling from the oven.  I am really happy with how it turned out!

Berry Galette

For the crust:

2 cups blanched almond flour
1 tbsp arrowroot flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp water

For the filling:

4 cups berries, washed  (I used sliced strawberries, whole black raspberries, and blueberries)
1 tbsp arrowroot flour
1 tbsp coconut sugar

+ 1 tsp coconut sugar for sprinkling on the crust

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot flour, cinnamon, sea salt, and baking soda. 

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and water until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until you achieve a uniform ball of dough.  Place the dough in the freezer to chill for approximately 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 F.  Prepare the filling by combining one tablespoon of arrowroot flour and one tablespoon of coconut sugar in a large bowl, and then adding the berries.  Stir the berries gently until they are well coated.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a flat work surface.  Place the chilled dough on the paper, then place another piece of parchment paper over top and roll out the dough.  You should end up with a circle about 12 inches wide; the pastry will be thin and the edges will be uneven.  Remove the top piece of parchment paper and then transfer the bottom piece and the rolled out pastry to a baking sheet.

Tumble the berry mixture into the centre of the pastry, leaving about a one and a half inch border of crust all the way around.  Gently lift the parchment paper all the way around the circle to fold the edges of the crust over, just to cover the edge of the fruit.  (The centre of the pie should not be covered.)  If the pastry breaks at all, simply smooth it back together with your fingers, as the dough will be quite sticky and easy to repair.

Sprinkle the edges of the pastry with the remaining coconut sugar, and place the pie in the preheated oven.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. 

This galette is delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla coconut milk ice cream.  It's a very easy yet impressive summer dessert!


This post is linked to Gluten-Free Wednesdays.