Strawberries & Cream Galette

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 1 ½ cups white flour

• 3 tablespoons icing sugar

• 100 grams cold butter, cut into cubes

• 1 free range egg

• ¼ cup softened cream cheese taken from a 250 gram tub of cream cheese - the remaining will get used in the filling

For the filling

• 500 grams fresh strawberries

• 2 tablespoons raw sugar

• 2 teaspoons cornflour

• Remaining cream cheese from the 250 gram tub - minus the ¼ cup used in the pastry

• 2 tablespoons icing sugar

• 1 ½ teaspoons cornflour

• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean extract

• Raw sugar for sprinkling on top

Method

1. Make the pastry. Place the flour and icing sugar into a food processor. Briefly blitz to combine. Add the butter and blitz again until butter is incorporated. Lightly beat the egg with a fork and set a tablespoon worth aside for brushing over the pastry later. Mix the remaining egg with ¼ cup softened cream cheese. Turn the food processor back on and pour the egg mix in, until the pastry just comes together. The mixture should stick when a small piece is squeezed between the fingers – if it doesn’t, just add more cream cheese, a teaspoon at a time. Turn the pastry onto a floured board and gently shape into a thick flat circle. Cover and place in the fridge to rest for half an hour while you make the rest of the galette.

2. Hull the strawberries and cut them into quarters. Place into a bowl with the raw sugar and the first measure of cornflour. Mix well and set aside to macerate while the pastry rests.

3. Preheat oven to 180C. and line an oven tray with baking paper. Place the remaining cream cheese into a bowl with the vanilla bean extract. Sieve the second measure of icing sugar and second measure of cornflour over the top, then mix everything together, ensuring there are no lumps.

4. Remove the pastry from the fridge and place on a floured board. Evenly roll out to form a rough circle approximately 30 cm in diameter.

5. Place the rolled pastry onto the prepared baking tray. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the centre, and using the back of the spoon spread into an even layer, leaving a 5 cm rim of uncovered pastry all the way around the edge. Place the strawberries on top of the cream cheese. Try not to bring too much juice from the berries onto the filling - I like to use a slotted spoon to help minimise this. It will seem like a lot of strawberries but just keep piling them up towards the centre of the galette.

6. Fold the pastry edges over onto the outside edge of fruit. You don’t need to be pretty here, remember rustic is key! Brush the saved egg over the pastry and sprinkle with an extra bit of raw sugar.

7. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35 – 45 minutes until the pastry is golden and the fruit is cooked through. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting to allow the filling to firm up. If you would like a glossy top, spread a teaspoon of maple syrup over the strawberries just before serving.