I’ve made this galette twice now, and I’m telling you — the second one came out looking like it belonged in a bakery window. The first one? Crust cracked in three places and I nearly sent it to the bin. Both were still delicious. That’s the thing about a galette: it’s the good kind of simple.
If you’re not a baking person, here’s your permission slip. A galette is a French free-form pastry — think of it as an open-faced pie that skips the pan entirely. You roll the crust out flat, pile the filling in the middle, and fold the edges up like a messy, beautiful envelope. No pie pan, no lattice, no stress.
Why this works
The crust skips wheat entirely, going with almond flour plus a little tapioca flour for structure, and the filling is just berries, lemon, and sugar — no tricks. The lemon is doing more work than it gets credit for: the zest and juice keep all that fruit bright instead of jammy.
The numbers, honestly
Prep: 15 minutes. Bake: 25 to 30 minutes. Total: about 45 minutes, start to finish — including the 20 minutes of cooling, which is really just a waiting game. It makes 8 slices, and leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge. I serve it with a scoop of ice cream, and I will not be taking questions.
What you need
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) almond flour — the fine kind, not almond meal
- 1/2 cup (50 g) tapioca flour
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) coconut sugar, or brown sugar if that’s what you have
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) sea salt
- 1/2 cup (115 g) cold butter, cubed — straight from the fridge
- 1 large egg
For the filling:
- 2 cups (300 g) mixed fresh berries — blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or whatever’s in season
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 lemon, juiced (about 2 tbsp / 30 ml)
- 1 tbsp (10 g) tapioca flour
- 2 tbsp (25 g) coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) cinnamon
How to make it
1. Make the crust. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Pulse the almond flour, tapioca flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until mixed. Add the cold butter and pulse until it looks pebbly — like small rocks, not a paste. Add the egg and pulse until the dough just comes together. Resist the urge to keep pulsing. Overmixed dough = tough crust.
2. Roll it out. Tip the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle. Slide it, parchment and all, onto a baking sheet and pop it in the fridge while the filling gets made. Cold crust is the whole game here.
3. Make the filling. In a bowl, toss the berries with the lemon zest, lemon juice, tapioca flour, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until the berries are well coated.
4. Assemble and bake. Tip the filling into the center of the chilled crust, leaving about a 2-inch (5 cm) border. Using the parchment paper to help, fold the edges up and over the filling all the way around. Patch any cracks with your fingers — the galette is supposed to look rustic, so don’t fight it. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting.
5. Fold and bake. Give the edges one more fold to seal the berries in, then bake until golden. The galette will look loose and imperfect while it’s in the oven. That’s normal — it firms up as it cools.
6. Fix the cracks. Any broken spots? Press them shut with your fingers. The galette is meant to be rustic, and a few cracks make it look like it came from a bakery that doesn’t take anything too seriously.
Troubleshooting, from someone who’s failed at this
- My crust is falling apart. That’s the aesthetic. Piece it back together with your hands and it’ll hold once baked.
- Can I skip the egg? Yes — swap it for 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) of cold water. Start with 2 and add the last one only if the dough looks too dry.
- Can I use different fruit? Absolutely. Use 2 cups of whatever berries you like, or any seasonal fruit.
- Can I make it ahead? The raw crust keeps in the fridge for several days. You can also freeze the crust for up to 3 months and thaw before baking. If you freeze a fully assembled galette, just add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Out of tapioca flour? Arrowroot flour is the best stand-in. Cornstarch works in a pinch, though the filling won’t set quite the same.
- Is it actually gluten-free? Yes — as long as your almond flour and tapioca flour are labeled gluten-free.
Trade-It Tip
No coconut sugar? Brown sugar works fine in both the crust and the filling — same job, slightly different flavor, and your pantry already has it. And no ice cream? A splash of cream is a perfectly fine ending.
If it doesn’t fit a Tuesday night, it doesn’t get published.