This Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette is a rustic and impressive dessert, which features crisp puff pastry and a soft almond frangipane. It’s a quick and elegant tart that requires no tin, ready in about 40 minutes.
Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette Ingredients
For the Base
- 1 x 320g sheet ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten (for glazing)
- 1 tbsp demerara sugar (for the crust)
For the Frangipane
- 50g (2oz) butter, softened
- 50g (2oz) caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 50g (2oz) ground almonds
- ½ tsp almond extract
For the Topping
- 2 ripe pears (Conference or Williams), peeled, cored, and sliced
- 150g (5oz) fresh blueberries
- Icing sugar, for dusting
How To Make Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette
- Prepare the oven and tray: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas 6). Place a large baking sheet in the oven to heat up (this helps crisp the bottom of the pastry).
- Make the frangipane: In a small bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until pale. Beat in the egg, ground almonds, and almond extract until you have a smooth paste.
- Prep the pastry: Unroll the puff pastry sheet (keep it on its baking paper). Using a sharp knife, lightly score a border about 2cm (¾ inch) from the edge all the way around. Do not cut all the way through. This border will rise to form the walls of the tart.
- Assemble the base: Spread the frangipane evenly inside the scored border. Do not let it go over the border line.
- Add the fruit: Arrange the pear slices neatly over the frangipane. Scatter the blueberries over the top, filling in the gaps.
- Glaze: Brush the exposed pastry border with the beaten egg. Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the egg-washed border for a crunchy finish.
- Bake: Carefully slide the galette (on its paper) onto the preheated baking tray. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown, and the fruit is tender.
- Serve: Dust with icing sugar while warm. Slice and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- Preheated tray: Using a hot baking tray acts like a pizza stone, hitting the bottom of the pastry with heat immediately. This prevents the dreaded “soggy bottom” common with fruit tarts.
- Pear ripeness: Use pears that are ripe but firm. If they are rock hard, they won’t cook in time. If they are mushy, they will release too much juice and make the pastry wet.
- Scoring: Be gentle when scoring the border. If you cut through the pastry, the butter from the frangipane will leak out and the pastry won’t rise.
- Variations: You can swap the pears for peaches or nectarines in the summer, or use raspberries instead of blueberries.
What To Serve With Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette
This tart is best served warm.
- Crème Fraîche: The acidity balances the sweet almond filling.
- Vanilla Ice Cream: A classic partner for warm fruit tarts.
- Pouring Cream: Simple and traditional.
- Greek Yogurt: A lighter option for brunch.
How To Store Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days. The pastry will soften significantly.
- Reheat: Reheat in a hot oven (200°C) for 10 minutes to crisp up the pastry.
- Freeze: Not recommended once baked, as the puff pastry loses its texture.
Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 380kcal
- Protein: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fat: 24g
- Saturates: 12g
- Sugar: 18g
- Salt: 0.4g
Nutrition information is estimated per slice (based on 6 slices).
FAQs
Can I make my own pastry?
Yes, you can make rough puff or flaky pastry, but the beauty of this “Quick Cooking” recipe is the speed of the ready-rolled sheet.
Why did my pastry stick?
If the frangipane or fruit juice leaks onto the baking paper, it can caramelize and stick. Using parchment paper usually prevents this, but be careful when lifting it off.
Can I make it ahead?
You can assemble it up to 4 hours ahead and keep it in the fridge, but bake it fresh when you want to eat it.
Try More Recipes:
- Mary Berry Blueberry Jam Recipe
- Mary Berry Lemon and Blueberry Cake Recipe
- Mary Berry Lemon and Blueberry Muffins Recipe
Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette Recipe
Description
A rustic, free-form fruit tart using ready-rolled puff pastry topped with almond cream, sliced pears, and blueberries.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C with a tray inside.
- Mix butter, sugar, egg, and almonds (frangipane).
- Score a border on the pastry sheet.
- Spread frangipane inside border.
- Top with pears and blueberries.
- Glaze border with egg and sprinkle demerara.
- Slide onto hot tray and bake for 20–25 minutes.
- Dust with icing sugar.
Notes
- Baking the galette on a preheated baking sheet is the professional secret to ensuring the bottom of the puff pastry cooks through and becomes crisp, avoiding a soggy base.
- Using almond extract enhances the flavor of the ground almonds, creating a Bakewell-tart style flavor profile that complements the pears perfectly.
- This is a “rustic” tart, meaning it doesn’t have to look perfect; the edges are meant to rise irregularly, adding to its homemade charm.
Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette Recipe
