Top Your Galette With Butter Before Baking For A Glossier Finish

A galette is the type of pie you cook when you're craving a delicious pastry but don't have lots of time or energy to go through the process of assembling the traditional pie-in-a-dish. All you need is a simple pie dough rolled into one thin slab (don't worry about making a perfect circle), topped with your favorite filling in the middle, and the edges folded inwards to create the bordering crust. But before popping this shallow pie in the oven, one trick that can elevate it from good to great is topping the filling with butter.

This extra step imparts a glossy finish, making the galette look more appetizing and professionally made. The butter also adds a subtle, delicious richness that elevates the pie's flavor. The best part is you can use this simple trick on either sweet galettes like apple, plum, mixed berries, and peach galette or savory galette fillings like tomatoes, mushrooms, kale, and cheese.

The process is straightforward. Before putting the galette in the oven, take a few tablespoons of cold butter, cut it into small pieces, and spread it evenly on the pie filling. As the pie bakes, the butter will melt into a thin film on the fruits which creates a beautiful glossy sheen.

When making a galette, the crust is just as important as the filling. You'll need a visually stunning finish on the folded-up crust edges to match the glossy filling you'll create with butter. The most basic topping for this dough section of the pie is an egg wash. To use egg wash the proper way, just whisk together one whole egg with a teaspoon of water and brush it on the folded dough edges. This will enhance the browning effect and create a gorgeous golden crust with a subtle sheen. 

For anyone on a vegan diet, you can substitute the egg with any plant-based milk like soy milk, almond milk, or rice milk. After applying the egg wash, you could stop there and proceed to bake the pastry or you could add a few more toppings that'll further enhance the flavor while also creating a unique textural contrast. 

For example, for savory galettes, top the egg-washed crust with chopped fresh herbs for a refreshing taste and crushed nuts or flaky salt for texture. In terms of the best vegetables to stuff into savory galettes, red peppers, swiss chard, and butternut squash are all great options. The sweet galette can also benefit from a sweet-tasting textured finish by sprinkling turbinado or coarse sugar on the egg-washed crust. Once you're satisfied with the toppings added, pop the galette in the oven and get ready to enjoy your simple but tasty pie creation.