Pear Galette with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling...

 

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I've decided that I like making galettes. You don't have to worry about how the pie crust rolls out and if it looks pretty or not.

Not so pretty pie crust = rustic pie crust

It's kinda a baking rule that if it turns out looking not so pretty...... just say it's rustic. Well, it's my baking rule anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy making pies, even though I usually have some trouble getting the rolled out dough into the pie plate. Sometimes though, I just don't want to fiddle with making a pie.

Solution... make a galette!

I love pears, pie, and cheese danishes, so I thought I would bring all of them together in a recipe. So glad I did. This galette is perfect as a breakfast sweet or as dessert.

The pie crust is one that my sister-in-law bakes with, except she uses butter Crisco. I didn't have any, so I substituted butter and it turned out wonderful. The butter Crisco gives the pie crust an extra flakiness and does make it a little more delicate to work with.... but totally worth it in the end. So if you are comfortable with working with pie dough, try the butter Crisco in the recipe.

Now to come up with more yummy galette fillings! The wheels are turning.


Pear Galette with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling


For the crust:

• 2 Cups Flour, Plus Some For Dusting
• 1 Cup Cold Butter, Cubed
• 6 Tablespoons Ice Cold Water
• Saved Egg White (Below)
• 2 Tablespoons Sanding Sugar (Optional)

For the filling:

• 1 Block Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/2 Cup Light Sour Cream
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 Lemon, Zested and Juiced
• 2 Whole Pears, Peeled, Cored, and Sliced
• 1 Whole Egg, Plus One Yolk (Save The Egg White)

For the crust:

In a large bowl, cut the 2 cups of flour and butter with a pastry cutter or in a food processor until it resembles large granules of sand. Add the water a few tablespoons at a time, all the while cutting or processing it into the butter and flour mixture. Don't over cut the dough. Once it starts sticking together it is ready. Pat it into a ball and cut it in half. Wrap each half separately and place in the refrigerator to chill for 20-30 minutes.

For the filling:

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, egg and egg yolk until well combined. Place in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to use. 

Assembly:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

Dust a large piece of parchment paper with four. Roll out one of the balls of dough out into a 13 x 9 oval, approximately. Carefully slide the parchment paper with the rolled out dough onto a large cookie sheet. Save the other ball of dough for a later use.

Peel, core, and slice the pears. Place into a small bowl, then set aside. 

Spread as much as the filling into the center of the rolled out dough, leaving an inch to an inch and a half border all around. Arrange the sliced pears on to the filling. Fold the border in, over some of the filling and pears. Brush the folded border with some of the saved egg white for an egg wash and sprinkle with the sanding sugar.  

Bake for 28-32 minutes, until the crust is done and the filling is slightly jiggly in the middle. Remove from the oven and cool completely on the cookie sheet. Place into the refrigerator to chill, a few hours.

Slice and serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top. 

Enjoy!