Caramelised apple galette

For the puff pastry

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch, potato starch, rice flours, sorghum flour, xanthan gum, and salt. Cut 1⁄2 cup (115 g) of the butter into 1⁄2-inch pieces and add to the flour mixture. Work the butter into the flour with clean finger- tips until it resembles coarse, loose sand. Add the ice water and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. It may seem a bit dry and stiff at this point, but the dough will come together when kneading. You can add another teaspoon of ice water if it does seem too dry.

Step 2

Transfer the dough to a work surface, and knead it into a ball. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and free of cracks, about 7 minutes. If the dough keeps cracking, wet your fingers and let the dough absorb that bit of moisture, but don’t add too much water at once. Shape the dough into a 5-inch square about 2 inches thick. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate while you prepare the butter packet.

Step 3

Clean off the work surface, and lay out a sheet of plastic wrap. Place the remaining 1 cup (230 g) butter in the centre of the plastic wrap. Dust the top of the butter with the heaping tablespoon brown rice flour. Cover the butter with another sheet of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, pound the butter flat into a rectangle. Remove the top plastic layer, and fold the butter onto itself. Gather any leftover brown rice flour, and sprinkle it across top. Cover the butter with the plastic wrap once again, then flatten it again. Repeat this process five times until you have a butter square that is about 5 inches square and 1⁄2 inch tall. If it’s warm in your kitchen, wrap the butter in plastic and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 4

Dust the work surface with a little tapioca starch to prevent sticking. Place the chilled dough on top and, starting in the centre, roll out the four sides of the dough to form a square with four flaps. The centre of the dough should be about the size of the butter packet, and the flaps should be long enough that you can fold them over the butter completely. The flap ends tend to be rounded, so gently square them off with your hands so they fit the squared edges of the butter packet nicely. Set the butter packet in the centre of the dough, and fold all four flaps over the butter. Pinch closed any cracks—none of the butter should be exposed.

Step 5

Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough with butter packet to form a rectangle that’s approximately 6 inches by 18 inches. The exact size doesn’t matter, but you want the rectangle to be about three times as long as it is wide. Fold one-third of the dough over the middle third, and then fold the other third over that (this is called a letter fold). Rotate the dough 90 degrees. Roll the dough out again until it’s three times as long as it is wide, and fold one-third over the middle third and then the other third over that. This is the second letter fold. Make sure you are pinching any cracks together as you go. Using a pastry brush, dust off any excess tapioca starch from the dough. The cleaner and neater you work at every step, the better the puff will be in the oven. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 6

Remove the dough from the fridge, and let it rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. The dough needs to be pliable but cold. If the dough is too cold and hard, it will crack, but if the butter gets too soft, it will tend to ooze out. Dust a work surface and the top of the dough with tapioca starch. Once again, roll the dough into a rectangle that’s three times as long as it is wide. Do a third letter fold. Rotate 90 degrees, roll again, and fold as indicated for the fourth time. Dust off any excess tapioca starch. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for another hour.

Step 7

Remove the dough from the fridge, and let it rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding process twice more, turning the dough 90 degrees after each one. You will have six letter folds by this time. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a final hour.

Step 8

After this, the dough is ready to be used in your favourite recipes. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you are not going to use it right away, cut the dough in half, and roll it into 1⁄4-inch-thick sheets. Place the puff pastry sheets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with parchment between each pastry sheet. Wrap the baking sheet with plastic wrap and freeze. The dough can be stored this way in the freezer for 3 months. To thaw, transfer the pastry to the refrigerator for a few hours. Do not thaw at room temperature.

For the galette

Step 9

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel, core, and quarter the apples.

Step 10

Heat a large stainless steel sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the sugar evenly around the pan and cook until it turns a deep caramel colour. If the sugar is not melting evenly, stir it with a wooden spoon to incorporate any coarse areas into the melting ones. Once the sugar has turned into caramel, carefully stir in the butter, vinegar, cinnamon, and vanilla with a wooden spoon. The hot sugar may bubble up, so stand away from the pan if necessary. Add the apples and reduce the heat to low. Swirl the pan so the apples are evenly distributed and in a single layer. Cook the apples for 7 minutes, or until tender. Remove the pan from the heat, and let the apples cool for a few minutes until lukewarm and cool enough to handle.

Step 11

Dust a work surface with the tapioca starch. Roll the puff pastry dough into an imperfect circle about 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the almond flour in the centre of the dough, then pile the apples on top, leaving a 3-inch border around. There may be some caramel left in the pan, which can be saved to drizzle over the galette after baking. Fold the pastry edges over the filling. If the dough is getting too warm, place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to make sure it’s nice and cold before baking.

Step 12

Brush the dough with the egg, and sprinkle sugar all over the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Wait a few minutes before cutting the galette so it has a chance to settle and doesn’t crumble.