kids baking

So I was planning to make an apple pie when I got home from school today, instead I made an apple galette.  When I discovered this recipe in one of our kid's cookbooks in our school library I thought..."big kids can make things from a little kid's cookbook."  A side-note...we can't keep cookbooks on our library shelves - boys and girls can't get their hands on enough.  I love that children are showing an interest in cooking too!  Back to the apple galette I made today... I didn't know what a galette was so I did some research and I learned...Galette is a french word meaning various types of flat, round or free form crusty cakes.  The term galette is usually applied to pastries best described as large cookies.  Here is the recipe I discovered in Williams-Sonoma Kid's Baking.. Please keep in mind that the recipes in this book are very detailed and the audience is children of all ages.  This kid's cookbook even includes a list of tools to use. 

apple galette
makes 6 to 8 slices

what you need!
ingredients

DOUGH
all-purpose flour 1-1/4 cups plus extra for rolling
sugar 1 tablespoon
salt 1/4 teaspoon
very cold unsalted butter 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick), cut into chunks
very cold water 1/4 cup

FILLING
tart apples 2 pounds, such as Granny Smith or pippin
light brown sugar 1/3 cup, firmly packed
all-purpose flour 1/4 flour
ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon
ground nutmeg 1 pinch
vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon

TOPPING
sugar 2 tablespoons


1.  Make the dough.

• In one of the large bowls, using the wooden spoon, stir together the flour, sugar and salt.
• Scatter the butter over the four mixture.  Cut the butter into the flour with the pastry blender or 2 table knives.  The mixture is ready when it looks like coarse crumbs with small pieces of butter still visible.
• Drizzle the cold water over the dough and stir gently with the wooden spoon until the mixture forms moist crumbs.

2.  Shape the dough.

• Dump the crumbs onto a work surface and press into a flat disk. 
• Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

3.  Make the filling.

• Peel, cut into quarters, and core the apples.
• Ask for adult assistance with this step.  Using the small, knife, cut the apple quarters into medium chunks. 
• Put the apple chunks into the other large bowl.  Add the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and stir together with the wooden spoon.

4.  Roll out the dough.

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle a work surface with some flour.  Unwrap the chilled disk of dough and place it on the floured surface.  Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little more flour.
• Roll out the dough with the rolling pin until it is about 1/8 inch thick.  Stop a few times and lift and turn the dough so that it becomes a circle.  Sprinkle more flour under and over the dough as needed so it doesn't stick.  The circle should be about 14 inches across when you finish. 

5.  Add the apples.

• Move the prepared baking sheet close to the dough circle.
• Loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin.
• Lift the rolling pin over the baking sheet and slowly unroll the dough onto the sheet.
• Pile the apple filling onto the center of the dough, leaving a border of dough about 3 inches wide. 

6.  Finish and bake the galette.

• Using your fingers, gently fold the border of dough up and over the filling, folding the dough all around the edge as you go.  the center of the galette will be open.  Sprinkle the edges of the dough with the sugar.
• Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the apple chunks are tender.  To test if the apples are done, poke the fork into a chunk.  The fork should go in and out easily.
• Using oven mitts, remove the baking sheet from the oven and set it on the cooling rack to cook completely.

MY NOTES...Brush water on the crust prior to sprinkling sugar on the edges. Jonathon apples works.  Serve warm and of course.... a la mode.