Not only is pie less than heart healthy, but it can often be cumbersome and technically difficult if you're a more novice baker. This Cherry Galette is going to change ALL OF THAT! We whip up this whole wheat and almond crust in no time, with an equally quick filling using frozen cherries, and simply fold the dough over on itself to create an easy and delicious dessert. Did we mention it's healthy, too?!
Galettes are a traditional French dish, and can be made sweet or savory. They are essentially free-form pies, and I'm not sure why we aren't making them more often! They are so easy and work for virtually any occasion.
Unlike traditional galettes, though, our cherry galette is made with healthier ingredients, making this dessert lower in added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, and higher in fiber!
I like to use it as a comforting end to meals like Sautéed Tempeh with Caramelized Onions and Grapes, or Zucchini Lasagna Rolls.
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Ingredients for Whole Wheat Galette Dough
We all know pies aren't a very healthy thing to be eating a lot of. That's why I made this Cherry Galette heart healthy, with a whole wheat/almond combo crust, featuring olive oil instead of butter or shortening.
- Whole wheat pastry flour
- Almond flour
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- Olive oil
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Ingredients for Cherry Filling
Our filling is naturally sweet, thanks to those delicious frozen cherries, so we only need a touch of maple syrup there, and a few other things.
- Frozen sweet cherries
- Lime zest and juice
- Whole wheat pastry flour
- 100% pure maple syrup
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
We start our recipe like a typical pie recipe, but it just keeps getting easier from there!
Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl
Combine all the wet ingredients in another bowl
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix with a fork until a dough forms
Form the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest while you make the filling
Add all the filling ingredients to a large sauce pan over medium heat.
Stir constantly, until the cherries thaw and release their juice, and the flour is completely incorporated with no lumps
Roll out the dough, on some parchment paper, into a rough circle, about ⅙ inch thick, and 9-12 inches across
Use a slotted spoon to place the cherries in the middle of the dough, leaving 1 ½ - 2 inches around the edges
Carefully fold the edges of the dough over the cherry filling
Pour the extra cherry liquid into the galette now
Gently slide the parchment paper with the galette onto a baking sheet
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and the filling is bubbly
Hint: put your parchment paper on the counter, on top of a silicone baking mat to prevent it from sliding around while you're trying to roll out the dough:
Substitutions
Looking for some modifications? Try one of these:
- No added sugars - simply leave out the maple syrup
- Vegan - use any plant based, unsweetened yogurt, instead of Greek yogurt
- Olive oil - any other oil will work here, but be aware that palm oil and coconut oil are high in saturated fat, which is linked to heart disease. Consider grapeseed, avocado, or canola oil.
- Nut free - you can use all whole wheat pastry flour instead of almond flour
Variations
There are endless variations on the galette, but here are some basic variations to this cherry galette recipe:
- Extra almonds - before baking, sprinkle some sliced almonds and a few teaspoons of granulated sugar over the crust, or add a few drops of almond extract to the filling in the pot
- Spiced filling - add a teaspoon of ground cardamom, cinnamon, or a dash of cloves to the filling
- Other fruit - use any frozen berry instead of cherries (frozen strawberries will need to be thawed and sliced before you make the filling)
Try this 3-ingredient Cherry Almond Nice Cream if you love cherries!
Equipment
While you won't need a pastry cutter for this cherry galette recipe (cheers!), you will need a few basic tools for the job:
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large saucepan
- Mixing spoons and a fork
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheet
- Cooling rack
If you don't have a rolling pin, you can use a cylindrical bottle, can, or drinking glass, so long as it has straight, smooth sides.
Storage
The cherry galette will be alright at room temperature for 24 hours, but if it's going to be longer than that before you get to eat it, store it in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.
It can be reheated before eating in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes, if desired.
Top tip
Make sure to add as little of the cherry juice as possible when you're spooning the filling onto the dough, until after you've folded up the edges. Otherwise, you're going to have a huge mess as the juice runs everywhere!
FAQ
Yes you can. You will need to halve, and pit all your cherries first, and then you can proceed with the recipe. You may find that there is a bit less liquid from the fresh cherries, so you can add a splash of apple juice or grape juice if you need.
Related
Looking for other heart healthy dessert recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with a Cherry Galette:
📖 Recipe
Cherry Galette with Olive Oil Crust
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
- ½ cup Almond Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ cup Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoon Unsweetened Applesauce
For the filling
- 3 cups Frozen Cherries
- ½ Lime zest and juice
- 2 tablespoon Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
- 2 tablespoon 100% Pure Maple Syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and salt.
- In another bowl combine the yogurt, oil, and applesauce.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix until combined, but no more.
- Form the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rest while you prepare the filling.
- Add all the filling ingredients to a medium saucepan and, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Once the mixture is simmering and well combined, remove from heat and set aside (it’s okay if the cherries aren’t hot all the way through - just so they’re thawed).
- Turn out the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Tip: Place the parchment paper on top of a silicone baking mat to prevent it from sliding around while you roll out the dough.
- Roll out the dough to a rough circle, about 9-12 inches in diameter (⅙ - ⅛ inch thick).
- Use a slotted spoon to spoon the cherries onto the dough, stopping 1 ½ - 2 inches from the edge.
- Carefully fold the edges of the dough up over the cherry filling, pressing together gently as you go.
- Now you can pour some of the remaining cherry liquid from the pan into the galette. You may not use all of it.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
- Cool completely before cutting. The filling will thicken as it cools.
Nilda Bergmann says
Today is my husband's birthday. Instead of making him a cake which I would have regretted eating, I decided to make your Cherry Galette. It turned out pretty good. . . .And I just happened to have some left over Cherry Nice in the freezer to go with it. A nice guilt free dessert to enjoy.
Laura Yautz says
That sounds divine! Happy birthday to your husband!