Fresh Cherry Galette with Basil and Cream

This Fresh Cherry Galette with Basil and Cream is summer in every bite. With a simple galette crust and fresh cherries, it's easy to make, but even easier to eat! 

Summer, how I love you. There's sunshine, long lazy days, and the particular pleasure that comes with a cold drink in the shade on a summer afternoon. But most of all, there's cherries. Right now, with all the cherry bounty I keep bringing home, I'm writing a daily ode to cherries.

This Cherry Galette is my most recent ode to summer and its gorgeous fruit. This cherry galette is summer. And because I have a big bush of beautiful purple basil growing in my garden and it beckons me every time I go outside, I had to incorporate it. Its spicy smell makes my day every time I walk by it. So, I took a handful of purple basil leaves and added them to this cherry galette and, well, summer in every bite I tell you. The subtle hint of basil pairs so well with those juicy, sweet cherries.

These particular cherries are some of the most gorgeous cherries I've ever seen (or tasted). They were delivered to my doorstep as part of  Stemilt Growers curated box service. They are a mix of Dark Sweet Cherries and their own unique Skylar Rae Cherries, which are the sweetest, most delicious cherries of all time.  I loved the mixture of two kinds of cherries - it's a fun burst of flavor in every bite.

I've been making galettes for a long time now. I thought that I loved them so much because they are less fussy than pies - easier to make for sure! But I recently realized that I make them so often, partially because they are so simple, but also because the crust. I am actually a little bit obsessed with this particular galette crust. It's flaky and crisp, just the way it should be. And with a galette, you get so many more good crusty bites than with a pie. Galettes forever guys. 

Cherry Galette

While this cherry galette cooks, the juices from the cherries mingle with the fresh basil and the sugar to form a thick, sweet, lightly spiced syrup that is to die for. You will have to resist (or not) licking the pan clean. It's that good.

The cherries themselves, all warm and roasty, are absolute perfection in every bite. Pair it with a big scoop of buttermilk whipped cream or your favorite vanilla ice cream and it's about as perfect as a summer dessert can get. The cream will melt down in between each cherry bite in the most delightful way.

Why are we still talking about this? Go make yourself a cherry galette already.

Here are few more of my favorite cherry recipes to try: Cherry Peach Bruschetta , Cherry Blackberry Cobbler, and everyone's favorite Dark Chocolate Cherry Scones.

A simple Buttermilk Whipped Cream recipe.

Yield: 8

Fresh Cherry Galette with Basil and Cream

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Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST:

• 1¼ cup unbleached white flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons frozen unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup ice cold water
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• A tablespoon or so of coarse sugar for sprinkling on the crust

For the Filling

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• pinch of salt
• juice of half a small lemon
• 10 to 12 small purple basil leaves, or about a tablespoon of chopped basil
• 4 cups cherries pitted and halved (about 2 pounds before pitting) (see note below)

EGG WASH:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

1. To prepare crust, combine flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse twice to combine.
2. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together yogurt, water, and lemon juice. Pour over flour mixture and use hands or a wooden spoon to form dough into a ball.
4. Wrap in plastic and store in freezer for 20 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. To prepare filling, whisk together brown sugar, flour, and salt. In a large bowl, toss the flour mixture with the cherries, basil, and lemon juice until well combined.
7. To assemble galette: On a well floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle, trimming edges until smooth. Transfer dough to lined baking sheet. Leaving a 2-inch border, spread the cherry mixture evenly over dough. Fold over the edges of dough, pleating to make it fit.
8. Whisk together egg yolk and water. Brush over the crust and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cherries are tender and bubbly and crust is golden brown.
9. Serve with buttermilk whipped cream (recipe link in post above) or your favorite vanilla ice cream. Garnish with additional purple basil.

Notes

I highly recommend using two different types of cherries - like dark sweet cherries and skylar rae cherries. The combination of flavors is delicious! Also, you may need to adjust the sugar slightly depending on how sweet your cherries are. The cherries I recommend here are very sweet.