Strawberry Galette With Elderflower

This easy strawberry galette is the perfect summery sweet treat or dessert. Strawberries are naturally low in pectin. Therefore, to make sure the filling isn’t too wet, you macerate the strawberries in elderflower cordial and sugar. This draws the water out of the strawberries, creating a flavour-packed juice. You the cook this juice down to a delicious elderflower-infused strawberry syrup, which you then drizzle over the finished galette.

Note: this recipe is adapted from Christina Chaey’s stunning Strawberry Galette recipe, which you can find here.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Ingredient Breakdown
• Why You Need To Macerate The Strawberries
• The Role of Elderflower Cordial
• Galettes Traditionally Use Shortcrust Pastry
• Why I Prefer Puff Pastry For This Strawberry Galette With Elderflower
• Puff or Shortcrust Pastry: Ultimately, The Choice Is Yours
• The Magic of Roasted Strawberries
• Creating the Strawberry-Elderflower Syrup
• Serving Suggestions For This Strawberry Galette With Elderflower
• Tips for Success

Introduction

When it comes to capturing the essence of summer in a dessert, nothing quite compares to the sweet, juicy goodness of strawberries. This stunning strawberry galette is an easy dessert that combines the natural sweetness of strawberries with the floral notes of elderflower. The result is a dessert that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. Perfect for picnics, summer gatherings or sweet treats on a warm evening, this strawberry galette will quickly become a favourite.

Ingredient Breakdown

• Fresh Strawberries: The star of the show, fresh strawberries bring a vibrant colour and natural sweetness to the galette. Choosing ripe, juicy strawberries ensures the best flavour.
• Elderflower Cordial: This adds a subtle floral note that pairs beautifully with the strawberries, elevating the overall flavour profile of the galette.
• Granulated Sugar: Used to macerate the strawberries, drawing out their juices and creating a syrup that enhances the filling.
• Cornstarch: Helps to thicken the strawberry filling, ensuring the galette filling isn’t too runny and holds together well.
• Puff Pastry: The buttery, flaky base of the galette. Shop-bought puff pastry makes this recipe quick and easy. Feel free to use shortcrust pastry if you prefer a sturdier crust.
• Egg: Brushed on the pastry to give it a golden, glossy finish.
• Additional Sugar: Sprinkled on top of the pastry for a touch of extra sweetness and a delightful crunch.

Why You Need To Macerate The Strawberries

Maceration is a process where fruit (in this case, strawberries) is left to sit in sugar. This both tenderises it and concentrates its flavour. Macerating the strawberries is a crucial step in this recipe. Why? Because strawberries are naturally low in pectin, which means they don’t set well when cooked. Macerating the strawberries in elderflower cordial and sugar, draws out their juices. This creates a delicious elderflower-infused strawberry syrup that you can cook down and drizzle over the finished galette. This process both intensifies the strawberry flavour and prevents galette from becoming too wet. Wet galette = soggy galette and nobody wants that!

The Role of Elderflower Cordial

Elderflower cordial is such a magical ingredient in this recipe. Its delicate, floral notes complement the sweetness of the strawberries perfectly, adding a layer of complexity to the flavour. Elderflower has a unique ability to enhance fruit flavours without overpowering them, making it an ideal partner for strawberries. The syrup created from macerating the strawberries in elderflower cordial is used both in the filling and as a drizzle over the finished galette.

Galettes Traditionally Use Shortcrust Pastry

Galettes are a type of rustic, free-form tart that hails from France. Traditional galettes use shortcrust pastry, known for its tender, crumbly texture. Shortcrust pastry is typically made from flour, butter, a bit of sugar and cold water. This combination creates a dough that is rolled out and folded around the filling, forming a rustic, open-faced tart. The edges of the pastry are often brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with sugar before baking, resulting in a golden, slightly crunchy crust.

Why I Prefer Puff Pastry For This Strawberry Galette With Elderflower

While shortcrust pastry is traditional, I prefer puff pastry for this Strawberry Galette With Elderflower for a number of reasons:

• Flakiness: I love puff pastry for its light, flaky layers. This texture contrasts beautifully with the soft, juicy filling, adding an airy crunch to each bite.
• Buttery Flavor: Puff pastry has a higher butter content than shortcrust, resulting in a richer, more indulgent flavour that complements the sweetness of the strawberries and the floral notes of the elderflower.
• Ease of Use: Shop-bought puff pastry is readily available and convenient, making this recipe quicker and simpler to prepare. Its pre-rolled sheets are easy to work with, ensuring consistent results every time.

Puff or Shortcrust Pastry: Ultimately, The Choice Is Yours

Ultimately, the choice between puff and shortcrust pastry for this Strawberry Galette With Elderflower comes down to personal preference:

• Puff Pastry: Opt for puff pastry if you prefer a light, flaky texture and a rich, buttery flavor. It’s perfect for those who enjoy a more decadent, pastry-forward dessert.
• Shortcrust Pastry: Choose shortcrust if you like a sturdier, crumbly crust that provides a more substantial base for the filling. This traditional option offers a rustic charm and a tender bite that pairs well with the juicy strawberries.

The Magic of Roasted Strawberries

Roasting strawberries in the galette brings out their natural sweetness and concentrates their flavour. As they bake, the strawberries soften and release their juices, which mix with the elderflower cordial and sugar to create a luscious filling. The heat caramelises the sugars, adding depth and complexity to the flavour. The result is a rich, jammy filling that’s both sweet and slightly tart, perfectly balanced by the buttery, flaky pastry.

Creating the Strawberry-Elderflower Syrup

While the galette bakes, don’t forget about the elderflower-infused strawberry syrup! You simply cook down the juices strained from the elderflower-macerated strawberries until they turn into a thick, syrupy reduction. Here’s how to do it:

• Straining the Juices: After macerating the strawberries, strain the juices into a small saucepan.
• Cooking Down the Syrup: Place the saucepan over medium heat and simmer the juices until they reduce and thicken to a syrup-like consistency. This intensifies the flavours and creates a delicious topping for the finished galette.
• Cooling the Syrup: Let the syrup cool before drizzling it over the galette.

Making the syrup not only avoids waste but also adds a beautiful, glossy finish and an extra burst of sweetness to the galette.

Serving Suggestions For This Strawberry Galette With Elderflower

This Strawberry Galette With Elderflower is best served at room temperature, allowing the flavours to meld and the pastry to maintain its crispness. Here are a few serving suggestions to make the most of this delightful dessert:

• With Ice Cream: A scoop of vanilla ice cream is the perfect companion, adding a creamy contrast to the warm, fruity filling.
• With Whipped Cream: Lightly sweetened whipped cream adds a fluffy, airy texture that complements the dense, jammy strawberries.
• Drizzled with Syrup: Don’t forget to drizzle the cooled strawberry-elderflower syrup over the top for an extra layer of flavour.

Tips for Success

• Use Ripe Strawberries: The sweeter the strawberries, the better the galette. Look for berries that are fragrant and fully red for the best flavour.
• Don’t Skip the Maceration: This step is crucial for drawing out the juices and intensifying the flavour. It also helps to prevent the galette from becoming soggy.
• Be Generous with the Egg Wash: Brushing the pastry with beaten egg gives it a beautiful golden colour and a glossy finish.
• Cool Before Serving: Let the galette cool to room temperature before slicing. This helps the filling set and makes it easier to slice cleanly.