It’s been tried, tested and its definitely true. Kids will be more willing to eat unfamiliar foods if they have a hand in helping to make it. I won’t get into all the tedious facts and stats about the nutritional value of berries, as we all know by now, they’re super healthy and chock-full of vitamins. So I found it fitting to make berry galettes with the kids last weekend. It was incredible. My 2 year old son Georges who doesn’t take instruction very well was so eager to follow his older sister’s lead on how to roll the dough, then toss the berries in. Some of the galettes may have had a bit too much sugar or one too many berries. But they all turned out super great and delicious once baked.
Some tips to ensure this activity is fun and clean-up is minimal:
-To lay your biggest table cloth on the floor and have the kids assemble on top.
-Make the dough the night before.
-Have your kids roll them out on cutting boards or cheeseboards
-Spread everything out on the floor
-Have the starch and sugar premixed in a bowl with a laddle or wooden spoon( I separated the starch and sugar…oops!)
-have the fruits in separate bowls and spread them out
Once you’ve finished assembling the galettes and cleared off the dishes, just take the table cloth, give it a shake outside and throw it into the laundry. Setting up the assembly station on the floor is safer for toddlers as they’re not on a chair and having to reach across a table. Everything is accessible to them when it’s all laid out on the floor!
Moineau, my 10 year old said it felt like a picnic or like we were camping. It was great fun for them but it was really quite fun for me as a mother watching them gleefully eat their galette masterpieces – and of course getting their fill of vitamins;)
Bon app!
Berry Galettes
2017-01-20 12:48:01
Yields 4
Cook Time
45 min
GALETTE CRUST
- 400 g/3 cups AP flour
- 345 g/ 1 1/2cup unsalted cold butter (frozen grated better- 1 1/2 cup before grated)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup iced water
- 1 egg for crust wash
- 1/4 cup turbinado sugar to garnish (optional)
FILLING(Just about any fruit will work. Below is what I used in pics)
- 510 g/18 oz/3 cups fresh blueberries (works out to 3 of the smaller packs)
- 510 g/18 oz/3 cups fresh blueberries (works out to 3 of the smaller packs)
- 200 g/8 oz/1 cup fresh strawberries sliced or chopped
- 3 cups brown sugar loosely packed
- 5 teaspoons corn starch
CRUST (Try to prep this night before or at least 45 minutes before assembling)
- Sift flour, salt in large bowl
- Take cold butter and box grate, throw in freezer for 30 minutes
- Then add butter into the flour
- Blend with pastry cutter or with a wooden spoon until the dough is loosely mixed together ...chunks of butter is fine
- Add the ice water a table spoon at a time and mix with hands working quickly OR dump onto large piece of parchment paper and fold over itself several times misting with a misting bottle with cold water on the dry spots.
- Mix until the dough comes just together- do not over knead/mix
- Gather into 4-6 balls. Doesn't have to be the same size.
- Double wrap in plastic wrap and flatten into somewhat smooth disc shapes
- Refrigerate overnight or for at least 1 hour
FILLING
- Mix the brown sugar and cornstarch together in bowl and place a 1/2 cup measuring cup
- Place oven rack in middle and preheat oven to 450F and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper
- Take dough discs out from fridge and let rest for about 5 minutes
- Give each kid a cheese board or cutting board to roll the dough and a bowl to toss their fruits
- Have kids roll dough out into about 1/8 inch thick circles, rolling always outwards in one direction
- This is where it gets fun...Have children select which fruit to fill using their bowl. Take approximately 1 1/2 cups of fruit and a half cup of the brown sugar/cornstarch mix and toss in bowl.
- Fill the galette in the middle leaving about 2 inches + of the edges. Then fold the edges over
- Brush with egg wash and sprinkle some turbinado sugar
- If your oven is smaller then use two racks close to centre of oven and stagger the baking trays
- Bake at 450F for 20 minutes, then drop temperature down to 350 and bake another 25-35 minutes or until the crust is golden and the berries are bubbling.
Notes
- Make the galettes on the floor over a large table cloth like a picnic if preparing with children.
- Tidying up the mess is easier and its more fun for the kids
- Don't worry if they're not perfect. They'll still taste great once they're baked.
STEMS & FORKS https://www.stemsandforks.com/
Brilliant!