APRICOT & LAVENDER GALETTE

A dessert nomenclature designed to impress the socks off your dinner guests but prepared with devilish ease, a galette is essentially fruit encased in a rustic pastry that any numbnut can compose with their eyes closed. Eat it warm out of the oven with double cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Prepare it in advance and freeze until ready to bake, if you wish. You're welcome.

FOR THE PASTRY

180g plain flour
30g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
130g unsalted butter, refrigerator-cold and cubed
80ml iced water

In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour then add the sugar and salt and stir to combine. Add the cubed butter and rub into the flour mixture until it resembles rough breadcrumbs. Add a spoonful of the iced water at a time and combine until the mixture comes together to form a flakey dough. Flatten slightly into a disc shape, cover with plastic and refrigerate whilst you prepare the filling.

FOR THE FILLING

1 x 825g can of halved apricots (ensure Australian origin*. Use fresh apricots when in season)
1/2 jar apricot jam
a few tbsp caster sugar (to taste)
a squeeze of lemon juice
2 tbsp cornflour

Spoon the apricot halves along with a couple of spoonfuls of the syrup into a medium-sized saucepan. Add the apricot jam and lemon juice. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer until the apricots have softened. Taste and add sugar or more lemon juice to your liking. Add the cornflour and stir well to combine so that the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.

COMPOSE AND BAKE

plain flour, for dusting
butter, for greasing
1 egg white, beaten
1 heaped tsp fresh or dried lavender buds

Flour a clean surface and roll the dough out into a flat circle approximately 1/2cm thick.

Line a tray with baking paper and grease with butter. Transfer the pastry onto the tray and spoon the apricot mixture into the middle, ensuring you leave a 5cm border of uncovered pastry around the edges. Fold these pastry edges over the mixture, leaving a good portion of the apricot filling in the centre exposed. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg white. Sprinkle with the lavender buds.

At this point, either bake in the oven until the pastry is golden brown, about 35 minutes, or freeze to bake another day. Allow the galette to cool slightly before serving it warm with cream or icecream.

* Ensure you purchase Australian apricots so that you're supporting our local farmers who have really had a rough trot due to drought and cheap imports.