Apple Cherry Galette and a Baby Photo Shoot

<img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/55413e07e4b0cd39c01f4040/5546dc6de4b09a1d83e23aad/5546dc75e4b09a1d83e23cfc/1430707642798//img.jpg've finally made some friends here in Florida but still miss home in Chicago terribly. We're pretty settled into our rental house but already know we won't be staying here a second year. My whole life feels like a deep breathe held in anticipation. This pie has similar qualities. Sweet cherries represent the best of summer. Crisp tart apples hint at autumn's promise.

The crust is from scratch and the best one I’ve made outside the culinary school bakeshop. The recipe is a half-batch of smitten kitchen’s recipe, found here. Her tutorial is spot on by the way. Although I’d continue to stress the importance of not overhandling your dough. In my opinion, the key to a flaky crust is to pile your dough into plastic while it’s still crumbly, press it together once it’s wrapped and let it firm up in the fridge (versus creating a cohesive dough ball before wrapping). Handle it even less than you think you should and you’ll get good results. Oh and leave a few sizable hunks of butter floating around in the dough. Butter hunks melt as they bake and make flakes in the dough. Butter hunks = very good things (don’t they always??).

As a new mom I had no idea how much time I would have to make this dessert so instead of a traditional two crust pie I did a rustic gallette that came together lickety split. Simply roll the single crust, pile the fruit inside and gather the edges to create a border. Brush with milk and a sprinkle of sugar then bake. The result is a delicious way to embrace the fleeting moment.

Speaking of fleeting moments, after what we both considered an excruciatingly long five day business trip, JiT came home alarmed by how much Lillian had grown in his absence. This prompted a photo shoot to capture her cuteness. Unlike cherries and apples, we can’t encase her in pastry crust to preserve her loveliness…instead photos will have to suffice:

Cherry Apple Galette
Serves 4

One single crust pate brisee (I recommend a half batch of this recipe)

Filling:
3 cups halved, pitted fresh sweet cherries
1 cup granny smith apple (about
1 apple), peeled, cores and diced to about the same size as the cherries
2 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place filling ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Let rest while you roll out your pastry dough.

On a lightly floured surface Roll dough to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Use your rolling pin to gently transfer dough to a parchment lined baking sheet. If desired, trim dough edges to form a clean circular shape. Pile filling in the center or the crust leaving about a 1.5 inch border of dough around the edge of the filling.

Gather crust over top of the filling to create the outer crust. Pinch dough to seal edges and brush crust lightly with milk. Sprinkle entire top of the galette with sugar.

Bake galette in the center rack of the oven for 45 minutes until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.