Galette for a Breton born like me means first Galette de Ble Noir (Sarrazin flour) which is what is traditionally used for savory options where Crêpes are for sweet options with jams, fruits, grand marnier and the rest.
After that 2 favorites are Galette St Michel butter cookies and once a year the traditional Galette des Rois.
Today I make an exception to my Breton rules with this Sweet Cherry and Lime recipe from Galette! Sweet and Savory Recipes as Easy as Pie by Rebecca Firkser (June 2025, Artisan Books), with photographs by Jessica Marx.”). You can use Sade ‘Cherry Pie’ as your baking soundtrack.
Sweet Cherry and Lime
Like their fellows in the stone fruit realm, dark, sweet cherries boast a remarkable depth of flavor that is somehow more vibrant when roasted. Here’s a secret: I rarely bother using fresh cherries in a galette. Pitting pounds of the fruit takes a lot of time and dexterity, not to mention their magenta juice gets on everything. In peak season, fresh cherries can be quite pricey, and you might as well just eat them raw, still sun-warmed, on your way home from the market. That said, you can use fresh here (grab an extra few ounces to compensate for the pits and inevitable snacking).
Ingredients:
SERVES 6 TO 8
⅓ cup (65 g) sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger, or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt, plus more to taste
1¼ pounds (565 g) pitted frozen or fresh sweet cherries (about 4 heaping cups)
1 standard disk A Good Crust (page 27)
Egg wash: 1 large egg, beaten Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack positioned in the center. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, lime zest, and ginger and rub with your fingers until the sugar is slightly moistened and fragrant. Stir in the cornstarch, lime juice, vanilla, almond extract (if using), and kosher salt until combined. Stir in the cherries and coat completely in the sugar mixture.
- Roll the dough into a round and set it on the lined sheet pan using the Basic Method (page 34).
- Leaving any excess liquid in the bowl, spoon the filling into the crust, leaving a 2-inch (5 cm) border (it may not look like enough cherries, but trust that they’ll swell and deflate as they bake). Fold the edges of the crust over the filling toward the center, overlapping and pleating as desired. Freeze the galette on the sheet pan for 10 minutes.
- Remove the galette from the freezer and brush the egg wash over the exposed crust. Sprinkle more sugar over the crust.
- Bake until the crust is starting to turn golden, 12 to 15 minutes (if using a cocoa crust variation, look for the crust to darken slightly). Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue to bake until the fruit is slightly bubbling and the crust is deeply golden brown, another 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan front to back halfway through.
- Remove the galette from the oven and sprinkle with some flaky sea salt. Cool, uncovered, for at least 25 minutes and up to 8 hours.
- Slice and serve. Leftovers can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to 2 days. Reheat on a sheet pan in a 350°F (180°C) oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Fruit Variation:
Fresh raspberries, blackberries, and/or halved strawberries swap in for the cherries beautifully.
Crust Variation: Options: Buckwheat (page 39), Cocoa (page 39)
Serve With: Vanilla ice cream or Tangy Sweet Cream (page 42), a damn fine cup of coffee
(“Excerpted from Galette! by Rebecca Firkser (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2025. Photographs by Jessica Marx.”)
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