I’ve finally emerged from my Thanksgiving Day feast coma and am able to think once again about food.  Yes, it took two days!  Among the many many things for which I am thankful, I must include the fact that we had the foresight to sample this Pear Galette with Maple Brandy Glaze before dinner. Had we not, we probably would not have tasted it until today because we did not save room for dessert!  I love cutting the pears so that they fan out and remain intact allowing the fruit to cook through without becoming too mushy.

The galette dough is brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with organic cane sugar and cinnamon and the pears are dusted with King Arthur’s flour spiked with ginger and nutmeg which creates a spiced caramel sauce when the pears bake and release their liquid.

The galette is finished with a maple brandy glaze and should be served topped with vanilla ice cream and chopped toasted and salted walnuts to balance out the sweetness.

Pear Galette with Maple Brandy Glaze

Makes 1- 13″ galette

Galette Filling:

1 refrigerated pie crust ( I like Immaculate Baking Co.), set out for 10-20 minutes before unrolling

2 Tbsp butter, melted

3 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

3 firm but ripe Anjou pears, halved, cored and sliced lengthwise in 1/4 inch thick slices (leaving 1/2 inch unsliced at the stem end)

4 tsp all-purpose flour (I like King Arthur’s Organic)

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1 egg, lightly beaten

Place your oven racks at the lower and middle of the oven and preheat oven to 375°F.  Unroll the pastry on a piece of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to stretch the dough into a 13″ circle.  It does not need to be a perfect circle- this is a galette!  Brush the melted butter over the pastry, leaving a 2 inch border.  Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of sugar and the cinnamon over the butter.  Mix the flour, ginger and nutmeg and remaining 1 Tbsp of sugar in a wide flat bowl or deep plate and carefully place the cut side of the pears into the mixture.  Press the pear a bit to spread the pieces apart to get the mixture into each piece.  Arrange the pears over the butter and cinnamon in an even layer.  Fold the edges of the pastry over the the pears, crimping as you go.  Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg and bake on the bottom rack about 20 minutes.  Move the baking sheet to the middle rack, turning 180° and bake another 10-15 minutes.  Transfer the galette on parchment paper to a wire rack and let cool completely before drizzling with maple glaze.

Maple Glaze:

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp Maple syrup

1/2 tsp brandy

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Additional powdered sugar for dusting

1/4 cup toasted walnuts with sea salt (optional)

Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat until it just begins to brown- stir often and don’t walk away!  Turn off the heat and whisk in the maple syrup, brandy, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Drizzle or brush the glaze over the pears to give them a sheen and dust with powdered sugar for garnish.  This galette is sweet, so it really benefits from the garnish of salty toasted walnuts.  And I think every fruity galette needs ice cream!