Summer Mixed Berry Galette
It’s time to acquaint yourself with galette — pie’s fuss-free little sister. She’s simple, impressive, and delicious all at once! A vibrant mixed berry galette is a summer stunner, beautiful for July 4th or any celebration.
True confession: for all the cooking and baking I do, pies still give me fits. I have been known to cry, yell, and swear over failed pies. Just ask my family.
On the plus side, this means that when a pie recipe works for me, I know it is truly fool-proof. On the not-so-good side, this means I don’t even make pies very often. They’re beautiful, yes, but who wants to flirt with disaster time and again?
Fortunately, there are many desserts just as pretty and impressive but far more forgiving, not to mention low-maintenance. At the top of that list? Galettes.
Why you’ll love this galette
Galettes are simply the no-fuss, free-form version of pie. They can hold all manner of fillings. There’s a lot to love in this one.
- All the delicious berries. If you love summer berries, this is a dream come true. Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries — they all work beautifully. Use your favorites or whatever looks best at the store, in any combination.
- Quick and easy. If using a pre-made crust, as I often do, this truly requires 15 minutes of work. And you can make the whole thing ahead!
- Beautiful presentation. Galettes are intended to be free-form and usually look great without trying. They just woke up this way. Plus the word “galette” sounds elegant and, in my experience, very impressive to guests. They’ll be even more impressed when you laugh and say, “Oh, it was nothing, this is so rustic!” Only you know it’s actually true.
- Zero crust fuss. First of all, there’s no complicated shaping. No fluting, no weaving, no cookie cutters required. Then, no pre-baking. This is one of the key areas where pie crusts go wrong, whether due to over-baking, under-baking, or losing shape while pre-baking. Galettes remove all that stress from the equation. Can I get a “Hallelujah!”?
What you need for a mixed berry galette
- Berries: Any combination of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries, about 3 cups total. Slice the strawberries; everything else can go in whole. You may be tempted to add more, but be judicious — you don’t want to add so much filling that it spills out over the edge.
- Sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice: This little mixture thickens up the berries to ensure the finished galette can be sliced cleanly.
- One refrigerated pie crust: Equivalent to what you would use for a 9- or 10-inch pie.
- Optional — egg wash, coarse sugar, and jam: The egg wash, which is just 1 egg whisked together with 1 tablespoon of milk or water, and coarse sugar give the exposed rim of crust a golden sparkle. A tablespoon of jam can be useful to spread over the berries just before serving, giving them a luscious sheen.
Can frozen berries be used in a galette?
Yes! You can use frozen berries, making this accessible in any season. No need to defrost first, though you certainly can.
One note: if you are using a large proportion of frozen strawberries, they will give off more liquid than the other types of berries. Add an extra 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to compensate.
How to make it: tips and tricks
This is incredibly simple, but a few small tips and tricks go a long way to ensuring success from the first try.
- Step 1: Rinse and combine the berries with the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Set this mixture aside for 10-15 minutes, on the counter or in the fridge. These few minutes are important because the cornstarch needs time to draw some liquid out of the berries. Use the time to preheat the oven, get out a large rimmed baking sheet, and unroll the pie crust.
- Step 2: Transfer berries — not the juices — into a mound in the middle of the unrolled crust. Use a slotted spoon so it’s easy to leave the juices behind in the bowl. This is how you guarantee clean slices and firm bites!
- Step 3: Gently fold up the crust around the edge of the berries. Overlap the edge every couple of inches and gently press the overlapping bits together into a casual sort of pleat. This needn’t — shouldn’t! — look very uniform or particular. Remember: galettes are all about that lazy charm.
- Step 4: Bake and serve! The crust should be golden; the filling, bubbly. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Pro tip: If the berries look dry after baking, brush them with warmed jam for a gorgeous, glossy effect. Just microwave 1-2 tablespoons jam, any flavor, for 20-30 seconds, then use a pastry brush to brush that across the tops of the berries.
Make ahead tips
This entire galette can easily be made a few hours in advance. Bake the galette as directed, let it cool at room temperature, then return to the oven at 200 degrees F for 10-15 minutes before serving.
The berry mixture also can be prepared and stored in the fridge for up to 36 hours.
Serving with ice cream optional, but not really, in my house. 🙂
More fruit desserts
- Mixed Berry Mascarpone Tart (uses puff pastry)
- Old-Fashioned Blueberry Nectarine Crisp (can sub peaches)
- Classic, Fool-Proof Apple Crisp
- Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Crumble Bars
- Glazed Grapefruit Bundt Cake
All of these are lovely ways to use fruit and berries, especially in the glorious months when they’re most fresh and readily available.
Have you made a galette before? If you try this easy mixed berry version, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! I love to know how recipes go for you, and it helps other readers, too.
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Mixed Berry Galette
Ingredients
- 3 cups berries any combination of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 refrigerated pie crust such as Pillsbury
- egg wash: 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon milk or water
- 1 tablespoon turbinado or other coarse sugar for sprinkling optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the berries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Cover and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Roll pie crust into a large circle, gently press together any tears or cracks, and place on the parchment.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the berries onto the pie crust. Leave all of the juices behind in the bowl, and leave a 2-3 inch border around the berries.
- Gently fold the border up and over the fruit, overlapping the edges every few inches into a sort of pleat. Gently press the seams to seal.
- Whisk 1 egg together with 1 tablespoon milk or water in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Brush it lightly over the exposed rim of the galette, and sprinkle the rim lightly with sugar.
- Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 25-30 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- If the berries look dry after baking, you can brush them with a small amount of warmed jam for a gorgeous, glazed effect. Just microwave 1-2 tablespoons jam, any flavor, for 20-30 seconds, then use a pastry brush to brush that across the tops of the berries.
- Make Ahead: This can easily be made a few hours in advance. Bake the galette, let it cool at room temperature, then return to the oven at 200 degrees F for 10-15 minutes before eating.
- The berry mixture also can be prepared and stored in the fridge for up to 36 hours. Just be very sure to transfer only the berries onto the pie crust, and not the residual juices.
- Yield and Nutrition: This galette yields 8 modest or 6 generous servings, so plan accordingly based on your crowd — and the likelihood of adding ice cream! Nutritional info is an estimate based on 1 slice, 1/8th of the galette.
Simple, easy but very yummy! Hate making pies so this one is a keeper for sure!
Yay! I feel the same way, haha. So glad you liked it, and thank you for taking the time to leave this review!
This is a great galette recipe. I love using the pre-made crusts, and used 2 cups of strawberries with one cup of blueberries. The mixture was not too sweet, just enough to let the berries shine. I’ll be making this again and again. Thanks for the recipe!
So tasty and simple. It really does make for a beautiful presentation! I used the egg wash trick for the inside of the dough and I only used 1 tablespoon of sugar for the berry mixture. My strawberries were super sweet. It was perfect!
Excellent recipe, I liked the tip about using warmed jam to brightening the fruit after it comes out of the oven. As an extra precaution, I put the fruit in a strainer for a bit, then used a slotted spoon to put it on the rolled dough. I also used the egg wash to coat the dough before adding the fruit. Thanks for a great recipe.
Those are terrific extra precautions! I’m so glad you like the recipe and I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a helpful review. Thank you!
Made it, loved it, posted it on my Facebook cooking page, The Busy Cook’s Kitchen. LOVE the helpful and common sense tips!
For the person who’s fruit juices ran out – maybe your cornstarch expired? Or maybe you had extra juicy berries? Did you let the fruit sit at least as long as instructed, and use a slotted spoon to remove them from the juices?
My only note would be to taste the berries to check for sweetness, and adjust the sugar and lemon juice as needed. And find a use for those leftover juices!
it looks yummy but the berry juices ran out madly . Maybe make it is a pie pan?
Is it possible that some of the juices came out of the bowl together with the berries? Using the slotted spoon in that step is definitely important to leave the juices behind!
Couldn’t wait for summer! This made a wonderful spring time dessert. Easy and delicious!!
I’m so happy it was a hit, Kathleen! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Not only is this galette gorgeous, its easy to make and make the best summer dessert! Thank you!
Totally loved this mixed berry galette, I love it as compared to other baked goods, can make faster than any other dessert. With ice cream, it is just PERFECT
I love this rustic-looking dessert! It sounds delicious and seems easy to make. I cannot wait to give a try!
Quite possibly, the best summer treat! Looking forward to making this later this afternoon; can’t wait to enjoy this after dinner tonight!
Love a mixed berry galette in the summer and yours looks incredible! The berries look so tasty and juicy!