Rustic Apple Galette with Caramel Sauce {French Apple Tart}

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This rustic apple galette is loaded with a delicious cinnamon apple filling encased in a flaky, golden brown crust, then drizzled with a rich caramel sauce that fills every nook and cranny! It’s perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Make two – it’ll be gone instantly!

It’s apple season! There’s nothing better than baking with fresh apples straight from the farm. We’ve been baking up a ton of apple desserts lately, but I was craving something with a buttery, flaky crust. This delicious apple galette goes pairs so well with my easy puff pastry dough recipe!

If you love delicious apple flavors, don’t miss this blackberry apple crumble! It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a tasty crumb topping. These apple cider scones taste like fall and are sure to be a new favorite!

What is a galette?

Galette is a French term that means “flat cake.” Most often, you’ll see them filled with fruit, making them basically just an open-faced, free-form pie.

That means that every single part of a galette is customizable, from the crust to the filling to any toppings. The rules are very loose, and no one says you have to use a specific galette dough or certain fillings.

Since it’s meant to be rustic, you don’t have to worry about wasting any pie dough. In fact, with less effort and more of an “I just threw this together” attitude, the galette crust comes out looking even more charming and picture worthy.

Equipment

To make this homemade apple galette, you’ll need to gather a few basic tools and supplies. If you’re using a premade pie crust, you can skip the supplies with a star next to them.

• Rolling Pin*
• Bench scraper or a serving spatula*
• Pastry cutter or chef’s knife*
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet
• Small bowl
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Pastry brush

Ingredients

• Pastry dough: For this recipe, I use my flaky pastry crust, which is basically a rough puff pastry. It has great flaky layers but is way easier to make than real puff pastry!
• Milk: For this great recipe, we need a small amount for a milk wash, so whatever type of milk you have on hand is fine!
• Apples: I recommend baking this recipe with whatever apples you have, but try mixing sweet and tart types of apples, like Fuji with Granny Smith.
• Sugar: Simple white sugar works best for this recipe.
• Cinnamon: Nothing complements apples better than this sweet spice.
• Apple cider vinegar: A splash of vinegar offsets the sweetness of the apples while maintaining their color. You can also substitute lemon juice instead.
• Brown sugar: I always have some brown sugar around, and when I don’t, I quickly make some more. Learn how to make your own brown sugar with a simple recipe – only two ingredients!
• Butter: Azure Standard grass-fed butter is my absolute favorite, and it has the butteriest butter flavor I have ever had!
• Cream: A good quality, organic heavy cream will make the caramel sauce so smooth. 
• Salt: A pinch of kosher salt draws out the sweetness in the caramel sauce.

How to Make a Rustic Apple Galette

Make the dough

1. Prepare the flaky pastry crust or make your favorite pie dough.

Prepare the apple filling

1. Peel, core, and slice apples into 1/8-inch pieces.
2. Place the apples in a small bowl with the sugar, cinnamon, pinch of salt, and apple cider vinegar. Mix gently with your hands until the apples are coated.

Form the galette

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F before you start baking.
2. Place dough on a piece of parchment paper or a lightly floured surface.
3. Roll dough into a large rectangle as thin as you can get it (1/8 inch or so). Transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet (if rolling out on parchment, place that piece on the pan).
4. Arrange your apple slices on top of the dough, leaving a 1 to 2-inch border along the outside. Feel free to trim the edges of the crust with a knife before folding the sides (optional).
5. Fold the edges of the dough. Use the pinch and fold technique to gently pinch the dough together and then fold the excess to the left (see the pictures). Repeat every 3-4 inches until the entire galette is folded.
6. Refrigerate the formed galette until the oven is fully preheated (15-20 minutes).
7. Lightly brush the edge of the dough with milk using a pastry brush. Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
8. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Then, drop the heat to 350 degrees F and let the galette continue to bake for 20-25 minutes until fully cooked.

Prepare caramel sauce

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, heat sugar and butter until they both melt together and are smooth.
2. Once the sugar has fully melted, add a pinch of salt and a splash of heavy cream. The caramel will start to bubble and thicken right away. Whisk constantly. Add more cream bit by bit until all of the cream is in the caramel.
3. Continue whisking until the sauce is smooth. It should thicken slightly in the pan but will continue to thicken as it cools.
4. Let the galette cool slightly and serve drizzled with caramel sauce.

If you’re not sure if your caramel is ready, place a small amount on a plate and put in the fridge for a minute or two. Tilt the plate. If the caramel moves slowly, you’re good!

Storing

Fridge: After baking, store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Be sure to place it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.

Freezer: You can store this galette in the freezer prior to baking, or after baking. Just like traditional apple pie, you might want to prep this easy dessert in large batches ahead of time. When still unbaked, wrap it tightly in foil and store frozen for up to 12 months. If, after baking, you want to freeze it for later, expect it to last no more than 6 months.

Serving Suggestions

• When the caramel apple galette is ready, let it cool for 10-15 minutes before drizzling it with the caramel sauce. Of course, you can either decorate the galette before serving or serve the galette with the sauce on the side! 
• Just like my Gravenstein apple crisp, it pairs excellently with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.
• Don’t worry about perfection, a galette should look homemade! Just say it’s “rustic,” and any rough patches will seem just right!

FAQs

Related Recipes

Love fruit galette, seasonal baking, and real food made from scratch? Here are some of my other favorite fruit desserts with cozy fall flavor!

• 70 Delicious Fall Desserts
• Gravenstein Apple Crisp Recipe
• Pumpkin Pie Pudding Cups with Whipped Cream
• Mini Apple Galettes
• Apple Crumb Tarts
• Strawberry and Apple Crumble

Did you enjoy this rustic apple galette recipe?

Please leave a star rating or a comment to share your thoughts! This is a favorite around here, and I hope you enjoy it, too!