Summer is here, signaling a surge in recipes for peaches and stonefruit. Luckily, this peach and thyme galette can be made all summer long—as long as peaches are on fruit stands! While this recipe focuses on making a galette with fresh peaches and thyme, you can really create it to your liking. Below, I've included different fruit variations and floral and herb suggestions.
What’s a galette?
This traditional French pastry is like a sibling or relative of a pie. Think of a pie as a container for its sweet or savory fillings, while a galette is more like a warm blanket, hugging the fruit in its center. Galettes also use a free-form crust, which is wrapped and folded over the sides of the edge, while pies fit into a designated dish or pan. Basically, a much flatter pie!
Ingredients for a peach galette
To get started, make sure you have the following ingredients on hand for your peach galette:
- Flour and butter (or store-bought pie crust dough)
- Cornstarch
- Lemons
- Peaches
- Sugar
- Thyme
- Vanilla
- Half-and-half or egg white (for pie crust wash)
Some helpful tools for making this recipe:
- Rolling pin
- Bench scraper (dough cutter)
- Food processor (to make pie crust dough)
- Baking sheet and parchment paper
How to make a peach galette
Your timetable for this recipe will depend on how you choose to make (or buy) pie crust dough. Making ahead the pie crust dough will save on time; just pull the dough out when it's time to assemble the galette.
If you're using frozen or storebought pie crust dough, ensure that it's defrosted and chilling in the refrigerator. It's important to note: make sure to buy a rolled-up pie crust and NOT a pre-formed pie crust. While both can be used for a pie, the frozen pastry shells are meant for baking a pie. Be sure to purchase pre-rolled pie crusts.
1. Start the thyme simple syrup
Start by making your thyme simple syrup so it has time to cool. Simple syrup is, well, simple. It’s a one-to-one ratio of water and cane sugar, simmering until the sugar has dissolved. Add your thyme sprigs as it cools, carefully extract with a mesh strainer, and let cool for at least 30 minutes before use.
2. Make the pie crust
Making a pie crust can sometimes feel intimidating. I get it, because I was once that person. But there’s only one way to tackle this—you just have to start practicing! Here are detailed instructions on how to make a classic pie crust. Or, you can keep it simple and use a store-bought pie crust.
3. Prepare your peaches
I often refer to this recipe as a “rustic” peach galette—that’s because slicing and arranging the fruit doesn’t need to be perfect. In fact, I think the more rustic it looks, the more homemade and appetizing it appears! To make a peach galette, start by using ripe freestone peaches; this variety does best when baking because the flesh will easily separate from the pit and won't get mushy while baking.
- Wash, dry, and slice peaches (about eight slices per peach).
- Gently toss peach slices in simple syrup, vanilla, and lemon juice.
- Add garnish fruit, if using.
You can fold in some fresh berries to add a pop of color. When adding raspberries or softer fruit to the peach galette, gently toss them together after preparing your sliced peaches. If adding heartier berries, like blackberries or strawberries, you can include them when folding the peaches in with your simple syrup.
4. Construct your peach galette
Roll out your pie crust ball into a 12” round. Carefully transfer the pie crust to a parchment-lined baking sheet and arrange peaches in the center, leaving 2-3” around the perimeter of the crust—you’ll need that extra dough to fold the galette.
Carefully fold the pie crust dough into “pleats” so it overlaps some of the fruit. Brush the outside of the dough with a wash using heavy cream or egg white.
5. Bake the galette
Important note: Lower the temperature just before placing the galette in the oven. The initial hotter temperature will allow the butter to pop and puff up the crust, while the slightly reduced temperature allows for even baking without burning.
Let it cool before brushing the top (crust, fruit, and all) with the remaining simple syrup. I know it’s hard, but if you can allow it to cool almost completely, you will have an easier time slicing and serving the galette.
Try serving peach galette with:
- Salted vanilla gelato
- Homemade whipped cream
- Coconut cream whipped topping
- Dollop of crème fraîche for a tangy dessert
- Spoonful of mascarpone cheese for a richer, creamier taste
Different Fruit Galette Ideas
While I love to make this peach galette, there are many variations to choose from. From different fruits to modified simple syrups, these additional flavor combinations are perfect for a summer galette!
- Peach with lavender simple syrup
- Mixed berry with sage simple syrup
- Pear with rosemary simple syrup
- Apricot with honey simple syrup
Peach Galette Frequently Asked Questions
If I don’t have peaches, can I use a different fruit?
Yes! Any stone fruit will fare well with this recipe. You can also use berries, but I would recommend a hearty berry like blackberries or strawberries. If you want to use raspberries, I would recommend adding them alongside another fruit.
Can I use frozen peaches?
Yep! However, it’s important to thaw them out first, as baking them frozen will make the pie crust soggy.
How can I prevent a soggy crust?
Fruit that’s been over-ripened will release more water, turning the bottom of your galette soggy. Ensure that your fruit is ripe enough to each, but not so ripe that it will ruin the galette. Give stone fruit a gentle squeeze to test its ripeness; you should be able to make a small indentation, but not puncture the skin.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
You can make the pie crust dough ahead of time by up to three days. If you need more time, freeze the pie crust dough and allow it to defrost before baking.
How long will a baked galette last?
No more than two days at room temperature, and about four days in the refrigerator. Remember, it’s cooked fruit! You won’t want to let it sit out for more than a day or two. I would recommend refrigerating your galette for best storage.
Summer Peach & Thyme Galette
This rustic peach and thyme galette features juicy summer peaches drizzled with a delicate thyme-infused syrup, all wrapped in a buttery, flaky pie crust. Simple, seasonal, and irresistibly delicious!
- Prep Time: 55 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-8
- Category: dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Thyme simple syrup:
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 12-15 sprigs of fresh thyme
Pie crust dough:
- 1 ⅓ cup flour + ⅓ cup flour for surface area
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, very cold or frozen
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine Kosher salt
- 4 tablespoon ice water
Peach galette filling:
- 3 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Thyme simple syrup
- 6-8 peaches, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or one egg white, beaten
Instructions
- Start by making the thyme simple syrup so it has time to cool. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, careful not to let it boil. Gently whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Once sugar is completely dissolved, remove from heat and gently stir in thyme sprigs. Cover and let cool. After 30 minutes, uncover and remove/strain out thyme sprigs.
- Meanwhile, make the pie crust dough. Sift together all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Remove butter from the fridge and cut into small cubes or, if frozen, use a cheese grater directly over the bowl of dry ingredients. Gently toss together without warming the butter.
- On a floured surface, begin rolling dry ingredients in with the butter. Continue rolling until a dry dough begins to form. Use a bench scraper to keep dough together without using your hands. Lightly sprinkle pie crust dough with ice water while continuing to roll until you can form a ball.
- OPTIONAL: You can use a food processor for this step by pulsing butter pieces into dry ingredients and adding one tablespoon at a time of ice water.
- Fold the dough to create multiple layers, and continue to roll out. Repeat this process a few times until the dough is mostly uniform and holds together when you squeeze it (this is what creates flaky layers within the baked crust).
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill while preparing the galette filling.
- Preheat oven to 400º
- In a medium bowl, whisk together corn starch, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Wash and slice peaches.
- In a separate bowl, toss together sliced peaches with ¼ cup thyme simple syrup. Gently fold together with the corn starch mix. Let sit and begin rolling out the pie crust dough.
- Roll out pie crust dough to a 12-inch round. Carefully transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Pile the peach filling into the center of the pie crust dough and gently spread out evenly across the dough, leaving 3 inches on the edge of the dough round for folding.
- Using a pleating motion, fold the edges of the crust over the fruit. Begin where the fruit meets the dough’s edge and create small triangle folds, overlapping the peach filling.
- Add a pie crust wash by brushing heavy cream or a beaten egg white across the top of the pie crust dough.
- Put the galette in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375º. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is a medium golden brown, rotating the baking sheet every 15 minutes.
- Let galette cool for 15 minutes and brush the top crust and fruit with remaining thyme simple syrup. Allow to cool completely before serving.
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