My Wild Blackberry Galettes are perfect for a novice baker. I’m lucky enough to have these beauties growing wild in my backyard, but that doesn’t in any way mean you can’t buy blackberries or any fruit you like from your local grocery store or farmers’ market. Even frozen berries would work just fine.

I’m not a professional baker, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love to bake. These free-formed pies are the perfect vehicle for whatever fruit is in season. This recipe will yield 2 galettes. It’s just as easy to make 2 as it is to make 1 galette, so why not?

Normally, I make pie crust using a food processor, and I have a recipe for that. If you’d like my recipe for my  Homemade Pie Crust, click on the link below.

Today I’m using Jus-Rol Pre-Rolled Pie Crust because I have two of them in my refrigerator. Listen, it’s okay, I believe you should utilize your local grocery store for certain ready-made items, for example, box cake mix or fresh, ready-made basil pesto. In my mission statement, I write, “As a home cook, I love making food from scratch and at the same time using the grocery store as my personal sous chef, utilizing a variety of store-bought products”.

I wanted to show you that you can make handheld pies using the same pie crust, same filling, and by drizzling a sweet glaze over the top for a different way to serve this recipe. I’m posting a picture below to give you an idea of what they would look like.

Prep Time: 15 minutes (includes stove-top cooking (8 to 10 minutes) for the blackberry filling)
Inactive Cook Time: 20 minutes in the refrigerator
Bake Time: 18 to 20 minutes; the time may vary slightly
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yields: 2 Galettes (6 servings per galette), total 12 servings
Equipment: 1/2 sheet pan lined with foil and parchment paper, chef’s knife, hand-held juicer, 1(3 qt.) saucpot, mini mesh sieve, pastry brush, large silicone slotted spoon, silicone spatula, 3 large mixing bowls, 2 (8 oz.) jelly jars with lids

Ingredients:
8 cups (4 pints) of wild blackberries, substitute fresh or frozen, reserve a few for garnish
2 (7.25 oz.) packages of Jus-Rol Pre-Rolled Pie Crust
1/8 cup of water plus 2 tablespoons of water
1 tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1/4 cup of good blackberry jam
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
1 egg yolk
2 to 4 tablespoons of Sanding sugar over the edges of the galettes
Garnishes:
Powdered sugar for garnish, optional
2 sprigs of fresh mint for garnish

Instructions:
Start by lining a baking sheet pan with foil and parchment paper.

Next, in a saucepot, add the berries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, blackberry jam, vanilla extract, and water. Cook over medium-low heat and stir to combine. In a separate small bowl, add the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the sugar and jam melt, allowing the berries to come to a boil. Add the cornstarch slurry, using a rubber spatula, and continue to stir. Bring the mixture up to a boil again. Once the sauce begins to thicken, coating the back of a spoon, this will take anywhere from 8 to 10 minutes.

Turn the heat off, allow the berries to cool down before transferring the pot to the fridge for 20 minutes.

Once the berries have cooled, use a large slotted spoon to transfer the blackberries to a large mixing bowl, and then pour the excess syrup into jelly jars.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Lay out one of the pie dough circles onto one side of the lined baking sheet pan. Use half of the blackberry mixture and spoon it onto the center, spreading the mixture out evenly, leaving a 2-inch border around the edges. Fold in the edges as seen in the pictures above. In a small bowl, separate the egg and, using just the yolk, beat with a fork. Brush the edges of the galette with the yolk. Sprinkle on the sanding sugar.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Allow the galettes to cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy.

There you have it, my Wild Blackberry Galette.

Notes:
1) If you want to make your pie crust from scratch, you can make the dough a day or two in advance, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to roll it out.

2) The galette will keep on the counter, covered in plastic wrap, for up to a day or in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for up to three days.

3) As with a galette, some of the juices may escape and harden in the pan. For this reason, always cover your baking sheet with aluminum foil and parchment paper for easy cleanup.

4) You can make it your own! You can substitute any of the following fruits: raspberries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, blueberries, or apples.

5)  A side note: If you are using wild blackberries when making this dessert, you tend to need more because they are much smaller in size.

6) If you’re going to use frozen berries (do not thaw) in this recipe, reduce the amount of water by half because, as they cook, the frozen berries will release water on their own.

7) Once the berries have cooled, remove the blackberries to a large mixing bowl using a large slotted spoon and transfer the excess syrup to jelly jars. Store the syrup in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks. You can use it for salad dressing, to top ice cream, or add it to frosting.

8) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/09/04/homemade-pie-crust/