I’m a lucky gal to be in the centre of France right bang in the middle of blueberry season. I was taken to a local blueberry farm called Le Verger de Cessinas where we were given baskets to pick our share of their sweet, fragrant produce. It was also an opportunity to taste a few varieties of blueberries with their differing degrees of tartness and sweeping aromas. I was blown away to experience blueberries that had super strong palettes of eucalyptus, mint, and honey. Every variety had its own unique character in size and what it had to offer in taste. ‘The tiniest berries often packed the most powerful punch, I’d say perfect for jam making.

On we went picking and munching on a row of Jersey blueberries (which are excellent for baking). They’re super sweet and great producing plants, they even looked generous as they welcomed you to their territory. I probably ate too many blueberries for my own good, but being the little piggy I truly am, I couldn’t resist. So below I’ve given you a super simple recipe for a blueberry galette, or ‘galette aux myrtilles’, which really shows off this wonderful fruit in all of its rich purple-y goodness. I’ve included how I make my puff pastry, which can also be frozen between sheets of baking paper in an airtight bag if you’re that kinda nifty (like me). Wheat free warriors, don’t yell out! I’ve also got a spelt version that is much friendlier on the belly for you guys too.

Galette aux Myrtilles

You will need:
4 cups of fresh blueberries (blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries will also work)
1/4 cup raw sugar
3 tbsp plain flour or spelt flour (if you prefer to be wheat free)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 quantity of puff pastry (or pre-made puff pastry if you are in a hurry)

For the puff pastry:
250g strong plain flour or spelt flour (if you prefer a wheat free option)
a pinch of sea salt
250g cold butter, roughly cut into 1 inch cubes (I use grass fed butter)
150ml cold water

For the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, then scatter your butter all over. With the tips of your fingers, rub the butter into the flour so that you have random pea sized blobs throughout the bowl. Make a well in the middle, and pour about 2/3 of the cold water into it. Slowly mix the flour and water together from the middle, working in the walls of dry mixture gradually to avoid lumps. Add extra water if the mixture is too dry to combine. When everything comes together, cover with cling film and slide it into the fridge to rest for 20mins.

Turn the dough out onto a floured bench and knead it to form a neat rectangle shaped blob. Roll the dough out to a rectangle about 20cm x 50cm and you should see a wonderful marbled effect with the butter. Next, fold the bottom third of the dough to the centre, then the top third over that so you have a neat little rectangle. Turn the dough so that it is horizontal towards you, then roll out again to about 3x the length. Fold just like before, and cover with cling film to chill an extra 20mins in the fridge before you use it.

For the galette, wash your berries well and drain them. In a mixing bowl, combine the berries, lemon juice, sugar, and flour together with a large spoon. Grab your pastry and roll it out to a 13 inch round, using a pie dish to guide as you cut a circle out from the puff pastry. Preheat your oven to 220C. Line a pie dish or large skillet (that can go into the oven) with baking paper. Lay the pastry over the paper and empty your berry mixture into the middle of the pastry. Leave a 1-2 inch boarder around the edge of your pastry to fold over onto the blueberries to make a neat little open-faced parcel. You might want to fold creases in one direction around the edge. Slide into the middle of the oven and bake for 40-45mins until the blueberries have shrunk and their liquid has concentrated. The crust should go golden brown. Let it cool for 5-10mins once out of the oven for the blueberry juice to thicken and set before tucking in!