The Best Rustic Apple-Pumpkin Galette

Can’t decide between a classic apple pie and a creamy pumpkin pie for your holiday dessert? With this stunning and incredibly delicious Apple-Pumpkin Galette, you don’t have to choose! This is the ultimate fall dessert mash-up, a creative and sophisticated tart that combines your two favorite autumn flavors, all wrapped up in a flaky, rustic, and incredibly easy-to-make crust.

This isn’t just a recipe; it’s your guide to creating a true, edible work of art that is as beautiful as it is delicious. A galette is a wonderfully forgiving, free-form French tart, making it the perfect, stress-free alternative to a traditional pie. We’ll show you how to create a flaky, nutty pecan crust, a surprise layer of creamy pumpkin custard, and a beautiful, fanned-apple topping. Get ready to bake a showstopper.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Fall Flavor Mash-Up

What makes this Apple-Pumpkin Galette so spectacular is its brilliant combination of flavors and textures. The base is a from-scratch, flaky pie crust enriched with toasted pecans for a wonderfully nutty flavor. This is topped with a thin, hidden layer of a rich and creamy, spiced pumpkin “cheesecake” filling. Finally, the tart is crowned with a beautiful, concentric pattern of tender, sweet-tart apple slices and finished with a glossy apricot glaze. It’s an impressive, make-ahead-friendly dessert that is perfect for any fall or holiday gathering.

Metric	Time / Level
Total Time	2 hours 30 minutes (includes chilling)
Active Prep Time	45 minutes
Difficulty Level	Intermediate
Servings	8

The Essential Ingredients for This Rustic Tart

This recipe is built from three delicious, from-scratch components.

• The Flaky Pecan Crust: A rich, tender, and incredibly flavorful pâte brisée with a unique twist.
  • Chopped Pecans: This is the secret to a wonderfully flavorful and tender crust! We add finely chopped pecans directly into the flour, which creates a rich, almost shortbread-like texture and a deep, nutty flavor that beautifully complements the filling.
  • The Fats (Butter & Shortening): This recipe uses a classic, foolproof blend for the best of both worlds. Cold unsalted butter provides a rich, delicious flavor, while cold vegetable shortening creates an incredibly tender and extra-flaky texture.
• The Creamy Pumpkin Layer: This is the secret, creamy surprise hidden under the apples. It’s a simple, rich custard made with pure pumpkin purée, sour cream, and an egg yolk, and seasoned with a classic blend of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
• The Apple Topping & Glaze:
  • Firm Baking Apples: It is essential to use a firm baking apple that will hold its shape and not turn to mush. A firm-sweet variety like Braeburn, Empire, or Golden Delicious, as the recipe suggests, is a perfect choice.
  • Apricot Preserves: A classic pastry chef’s trick! A simple glaze made from warmed and strained apricot preserves gives the finished tart a beautiful, professional, and jewel-like shine.

Step-by-Step to the Perfect Apple-Pumpkin Galette

This recipe is a rewarding baking project. Follow these detailed steps for a perfect, show-stopping result.

Part 1: The Flaky Pecan Crust

Step 1: In the bowl of a food processor, add the 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour, the 1/4 cup of chopped pecans, the 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the 2 tablespoons of cold vegetable shortening, and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal.

Step 2: Add the 4 tablespoons of cold, cubed butter and pulse until you have pea-sized pieces remaining.

Step 3: In a small bowl, lightly beat the 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon of ice water. Add this mixture to the food processor and pulse just once or twice. The dough should still be crumbly but should hold together when you pinch it.

Step 4: Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, use the plastic to help form the dough into a flat disc, and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate the dough until it is firm, for at least 1 hour.

Part 2: The Creamy Pumpkin Filling and Apple Prep

Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup of canned pure pumpkin, the 3 tablespoons of sour cream, the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the 1 large egg yolk, the 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour, the 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, the 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, the 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, the pinch of ground cloves, and the pinch of salt until the mixture is completely smooth.

Step 2: Peel, core, and thinly slice your 2 crisp apples. In a separate bowl, toss the apple slices with the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice.

Part 3: Assembling and Baking Your Rustic Galette

Step 1: Set a baking sheet on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Step 2: On a lightly floured surface, roll your chilled dough out into a 12-inch round. Carefully transfer the dough to another baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

Step 3: Spread the prepared pumpkin mixture evenly over the center of the dough, leaving a clean, 2-inch border all the way around the edges.

Step 4: Now for the beautiful, artistic part! Arrange the apple slices in a beautiful, concentric, slightly overlapping circle pattern on top of the pumpkin mixture.

Step 5: Gently fold the 2-inch border of the dough up and over the filling, pleating it slightly as you go around the circle to create a beautiful, rustic crust.

Step 6: Refrigerate the assembled galette for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Step 7: Brush the folded crust with a beaten egg and sprinkle it generously with turbinado sugar. Dot the top of the apple filling with the 1 tablespoon of butter.

Step 8: Set the baking sheet with the galette directly on top of the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is a deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Part 4: The Final Glossy Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 tablespoon of apricot jam and 1 teaspoon of water.

As soon as the galette comes out of the oven, use a pastry brush to brush the hot apples with the jam mixture. This will give your tart a beautiful, glossy, professional-looking shine.

Sprinkle the top with some extra chopped pecans. Let the galette cool slightly on the baking sheet before slicing and serving.

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Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

A galette is a fantastic dessert to prepare for a dinner party.

• Make-Ahead: The pie dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator. The pumpkin filling can also be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Storage: A baked galette is at its crispiest and best on the day it is made. However, you can store any leftovers, covered loosely, at room temperature for up to 2 days.

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Creative Recipe Variations

1. Use a Different Nut in the Crust: If you don’t have pecans, this crust is also absolutely delicious when made with finely ground walnuts or toasted almonds.
2. Add a Crumble Topping: For some extra crunch and a more “crisp”-like texture, you can sprinkle the top of the apples with a simple crumble made from 1/4 cup of flour, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of cold butter before you bake it.
3. Make it a Sweet Potato-Apple Galette: For a delicious Southern twist, you can substitute the 1/2 cup of pumpkin purée with an equal amount of cooked and mashed sweet potato purée.

Enjoy Your Rustic, Elegant Dessert!

You’ve just created a truly special, show-stopping dessert that is the very definition of rustic elegance. This Apple-Pumpkin Galette is a perfect symphony of flaky pastry, creamy pumpkin custard, and sweet, tender fruit. It’s a rewarding and impressive project that proves that sometimes, the most beautiful dishes are also the most simple to create.

We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, flaky, and delicious bite!

If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy, impressive dessert!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)