3-Ingredient Caramel-Pear Galette

From the kitchen of Carly

Buttery pie crust cradles caramel-soaked pears in this deceptively simple galette. Three ingredients transform into something far greater than their sum, with a final caramel glaze that catches the light and your attention. Rustic, impressive, and surprisingly forgiving.

3-Ingredient Caramel-Pear Galette

A galette is the lazy baker's secret: pie crust without the stress. Toss pears with caramel sauce, pile them onto dough, fold the edges up, and let the oven do the work. What you get is a rustic, caramelized fruit tart with crispy edges and barely-set filling that tastes like you tried much harder than you did. No blind baking, no crimping, no nonsense.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1sheet prepared boxed pie crust , thawed if frozen
  • 3firm-ripe pears, preferably Anjou or Bartlett , thinly sliced crosswise, seeds cut out with a small round cutter or paring knife
  • 1 pinchkosher salt
  • 1/2 cupplus 1 tablespoon caramel sauce
  • 1divided

Instructions

  1. Set the oven to 375°F. Unroll the pie crust onto a sheet of parchment and roll it out into a 13-inch circle. Slide the parchment and dough together onto a rimmed baking sheet.

  2. In a medium bowl, combine the pears, a pinch of kosher salt, and 1/2 cup of caramel sauce, tossing until every slice is well coated. Lay the pears over the crust in overlapping layers, stopping about 1 1/2 inches from the edge and piling them up as you go. Scrape any caramel pooled at the bottom of the bowl over the top.

  3. Fold the bare border of crust up and over the fruit, overlapping the folds as needed to hold everything in. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges. While the galette is still hot, whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon of caramel with 1 tablespoon of hot water in a small bowl, then brush the mixture over the pears with a pastry brush. Give it at least 15 minutes to cool before cutting.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Slice the pears as thin as you can without a mandoline, then remove the seeds with a small round cutter or paring knife before tossing with caramel. This prevents gritty bites and keeps the texture clean.
  • Don't stress about folding the crust edges perfectly. Galettes are supposed to look a little slouchy. Overlapping dough naturally as you fold creates those gorgeous brown, crispy ruffles.
  • If your pears are releasing liquid as they bake and the filling looks soupy at 50 minutes, carefully tilt the galette to drain excess liquid onto the baking sheet. You want the filling to bubble, not flood.

Variations

  • Swap the caramel for salted brown butter and a sprinkle of demerara sugar for a nuttier, less sweet version that lets the pear flavor shine.
  • Use apples or a mix of apples and pears, and add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to the fruit before tossing with caramel.
  • Make it savory by replacing caramel with a thin spread of Dijon mustard mixed with thyme, then pile in thinly sliced onions and aged cheddar before folding up the crust.
  • Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt or whipped cream after the galette cools, and finish with a pinch of fleur de sel.

Make ahead and storage

Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes to restore crispness to the crust.