Apple Galette with Fennel Ice Cream
I love all kind of apple desserts but this one takes the prize.This version of tarte aux pommes has extra love under the hood with a layer of frangipane underneath the apples and a delicious fennel ice cream as a sidekick. Doesn’t look like much but it’s as good as it gets, and it’s ridiculously easy to make.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me uncover the prize… ziiiip (err.. sorry for the cheesy sound effects. This is a low budget blog).
Don’t you envy those apples? I really do! This brutal cold weather makes me want to encase myself in buttery puff pastry and bake for an hour at 375’F before heading out every morning. Would a giant walking turnover be accepted by society? I wonder. I surely see plenty of advantages, the warmth, the extra room in the subway,the butter drippings, the ready-to-wear snacks, the cute nicknames people give you (ie: pig in a blanket), the free ride in a police car, the cover of the New York Post… etc. Wouldn’t it be awesome!? I mean, really!??
[blogospheric silence and sirens in the distance]
Apple Galette with Fennel Ice Cream
(serves 4)
Ice cream:
- 2 bulbs fennel, use trimmings for garnish
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Fennel seeds for garnish
Frangipane:
- 6 tbs unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 cup ground almond
- 2 tbs all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
Galette:
- 1 sheet high quality puff pastry
- 3 or 4 golden delicious apples, peeled and cored
- 2 tbs melted butter
- 2 tsp sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
To prepare ice cream:
- Slice the fennel paper-thin using preferably a japanese mandoline. Keep fingers intact! Combine cream, milk, fennel and vanilla pulp in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- In a large bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar until it forms a ribbon when lifted. Temper the mixture with some of the hot cream mixture. Slowly add the remaining cream. Place the mixture back in the saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until it reaches 175’F (it will thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon). Remove from heat. Strain and cool. Refrigerate overnight. Freeze in ice-cream maker.
To prepare the frangipane:
- In the bowl of a food processor place butter and sugar and process until smooth. Add ground almonds and flour and process for 15 seconds. Add the egg and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To prepare the galette:
- Preheat oven to 400’F. Cut puff pastry into 6-inches rounds. Prick with a fork all over and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
- Slice apples thinly, about 1/8-inch thick, using a knife or a mandoline.
- Place 1 tablespoon of frangipane in the middle of the puff pastry rounds and spread around gently leaving a 1/2-inch border. Carefully place apple slices around the frangipane in a fan pattern. Drizzle melted butter over the apples and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and apples are cooked.
- Serve with fennel ice cream sprinkled with fennel seeds and enjoy!