Turn Small Amounts of Leftover Fruit Into Mini Biscuits

As summer winds down, you may want to buy as much fruit as possible while trying to get rid of excess fruit. This is the fruit paradox, and I suffer from it too. I find myself relying on classic fruit baked goods and getting creative with some other favorites to use up my not-so-delicious berries and stone fruits. Turns out, baking a small batch of mini fruit galettes is the best thing to do when you have too many aging berries on hand.

What is a galette?

Galettes are similar to pies, but without the pie pan. They include the typical elements of a fruit pie—a fruit filling and a pie crust—but they are flat, open, and free-form. The appeal of galettes is that they are less fussy than pie. The main reason I make mini galettes in late summer is because, like pie, large galettes still require a ton of fruit—two to four cups—but mini galettes don’t. You can make a batch of mini galettes from a random half-eaten pint of shriveled blueberries or a single peach. And if you store store-bought pie crust in the refrigerator, it’s much easier.

How to make mini galettes

1. Prepare the pie crust.

Thaw and unwrap a sheet of store-bought crust. Use a large cookie cutter, mason jar lid, or just a paring knife to cut out circles from the dough. Remember that galettes are country crafts, so if you’re making this with a knife, it’s okay if the circle is wobbly. Make circles about three to four inches in diameter. My local ShopRite had a box of these Pillsbury Mini Pie Crusts , so I gave them a try. It’s not a revelation, but they poke seven little hexagons into the dough that you can cut out. You can do three circles or 12, depending on how much fruit you are trying to get rid of. Place the remaining pie crust back in the refrigerator or freezer.

2. Wash the edges with egg.

Place dough circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Since galettes don’t have a pie pan to hold the crust in place, you ‘ll have to use egg wash . The egg wash will help set the crust and give the biscuits a beautiful golden color. I mix one egg yolk with a teaspoon of water. Brush the mixture onto the outer edge of each crust circle.

3. “Waterproof” bottoms.

Summer berries release quite a bit of juice when baked. Typically for fruit pie, we make the pie filling and thicken it on the stovetop to prevent a watery filling and soggy crust. But since these baby biscuits use almost no fruit, this step would be unnecessary. Instead, sprinkle the “waterproof” crust with cornstarch and sugar. This protective layer of starch will absorb the released fruit juice and thicken under the heat of the oven, creating a sweet, thick syrup. I’ll admit, measuring is a bit of a gamble because you never know how juicy any given fruit will be, but usually a thin layer of this mixture is enough to keep the crust from getting soggy. Mix two teaspoons cornstarch with three teaspoons sugar. Place about a half teaspoon in the center of each dough circle.

4. Fill the biscuits

Now you can simply add berries to the crust or cut up pieces of fruit. I’d say about a tablespoon in the center is a good start. If I’m using just berries, I add them to a bowl with a little lemon juice before adding them to the pie crust.

Leave the outer half-inch of dough loose and begin folding the edges of the dough, folding and pinching. The egg liquid will act as glue, keeping the folds pressed together. Fold the crust all the way around and repeat with the other galettes.

5. Bake

Brush the outside of the dough with egg and lightly sprinkle it with sugar. Bake the galettes in the oven at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until the fruit juices are bubbling and the dough is lightly browned.

Currently all my ripening summer fruits are going through the mini-galette stage of life. They make great breakfasts with a cup of coffee, adorable morning snacks, and the perfect mini desserts with a scoop of ice cream. I don’t find any fault with these personal summer fruit pies. I especially enjoy walking around my apartment, snacking on one of these, and thinking about how hot it is outside. Best to play it safe, stay home and eat more mini biscuits.

Mini summer galette recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 roll thawed store-bought pie crust

• 1 cup berries or chopped stone fruits

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 3 teaspoons sugar

• Egg mixture for crust

• Sugar for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut about seven three-inch circles from the pastry crust. Place the rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the edges with the egg wash.

2. Combine berries or stone fruit pieces with lemon juice in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch and sugar.

3. Sprinkle about half a teaspoon of the sugar mixture over the center of each dough circle. Add a spoonful of fruit on top.

4. Fold the edges of the pie dough all the way around to create a secure “wall.” Pinch the folds. Egg wash the outside of the “wall” and sprinkle it with a little sugar.

5. Bake the galettes for 15-20 minutes or until the juices are bubbling and the pastry is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before eating.

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