Easy Lemon Berry Galette (Baked or Grilled!)
This is a true summer recipe—quick, easy, and able to be grilled! It’s perfect if you’re on your way to a barbecue and need to bring dessert or if you want something fresh and homemade but don’t want to turn on your oven in the heat. Just stir, pour, fold, bake or grill, and you’re done!
The story
Ugh. This recipe. I almost didn’t share it. It’s a perfect example of how baking is a science and recipe experimentation can go very wrong.
It tastes great.
It’s also a mess.
I tried to make a double crust of a new recipe (lemon buttermilk pâté sucre, or sweet crust), but I thought I’d just weigh it rather than dirty yet another dish just to measure it out by tablespoons. But I forgot that 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons. 🤦♀️
I also had issues with the filling, because I was pressed for time and couldn’t get to the store to buy fresh. Turns out galette is one place where frozen berries just can’t be substituted for fresh.
Thus, the crust broke around the edges and the very juicy filling spilled out then melded with the crust because I used my cast iron skillet instead of trying to extricate my rimmed stoneware baking sheet from my daughter’s room while she napped. Womp womp.
Man, I’m really not selling this dessert very well, am I? Or maybe I’m just destroying your confidence in me as a baker?
I swear I know what I’m doing, which is why I know what went wrong and how to fix it next time. I’ve made berry galettes before, promise!
Anyway, this is the perfect quick dessert that looks super fancy. If you’re pressed for time or don’t like to spend a lot of time baking, you can just grab a few things from the store then stir, pile, fold, bake, done. I promise it’s that simple!
How to make this recipe
Rinse berries and remove stems then halve or quarter strawberries, if using. Mix with sugar, lemon zest, salt, cornstarch, and flour.
Let sit a few minutes while you prep everything else.
Preheat oven or grill to 400. If using a grill, just turn all burners to high so it can build up heat. You’ll turn it down when you put the galette on, and it’ll cool to 400 quickly. If using a cast iron skillet, you can preheat it, but it’s not necessary.
Roll out your uncooked pie crust onto a piece of parchment paper that’s about 12x12. If using homemade crust, sprinkle some flour first and flip halfway to prevent sticking. If using store bought crust, follow directions and just be sure it’s not frozen.
Add berries to the middle and spread out in a slightly flattened mound, leaving a 2-3” margin along the edge.
It’s hard to tell here, because I did it in a cast iron skillet, but I rolled the dough to be about 4-5”’wider than the pan’s inner surface (leaving about 2” of a rim all around).
Fold the excess dough over the filling, overlapping each fold and…
making about 8-10 folds total. You can do this in a skillet like I did or on a rimmed baking sheet (most will do fine on the grill). It’s easiest if you build it directly on the baking surface so you don’t have to transfer it. Also, at this point you can add an egg or milk wash, but I actually prefer plain, rustic pie crust. Weird, I know.
At this point, you can freeze the whole thing—pan and all—for up to 30 minutes to help set the crust. It’s a common practice with pies and tarts, but it’s not necessary here.
Place in preheated oven or on preheated grill. If grilling, turn down all burners to low, close lid, and watch to see what the temperature drops to. You may need to play around with it until it hovers around 400. It’s okay if it’s between 375 and 425. Depending on the weather, I either have all burners on low or have just the two side burners on low to medium, with the skillet in the middle with the burner off (after the preheat). Once you get to know how your grill does with baking, you’ll know the best way to keep it at your desired temperature.
Bake 40-50 minutes, until filling bubbles throughout and crust is golden brown.
Let cool at least 30 minutes on the pan. Cut, serve with whipped cream or ice cream, and enjoy!
Tips for this recipe
Use fresh berries if possible
One reason my filling was such a mess was that I used frozen berries. Usually, it makes little difference to the texture (although fresh will always taste better). But frozen berries tend to release more juices when baked. If frozen is all you can do, still follow the recipe as written but try to drain off a bit of the liquid before you fill the crust. You may also need a little extra sugar to make up for draining some off with the liquid.
Drain juice if using raspberries
The other reason my filling was a soupy mess was that raspberries are quick to bread down and turn to liquid. They don’t hold their shape well while baking. If you’re using raspberries, I’d definitely try to let the berries sit a bit then drain the liquid. Or, only use a few, up to 1/3 of your total 3-4 cups berries.
Use grated lemon zest
I thought this was a given, but it turns out “lemon zest” is a widely interpreted term. Just an FYI, every recipe I’ve ever seen means grated zest (like, tiny pieces) unless otherwise stated. No one really wants strips or chunks of lemon rind in their dessert unless they’re cooked down or candied.
Add lemon zest to crust
I love adding flavor to my crust, like cinnamon or lemon zest. Obviously, if you’re making this in a hurry, you can’t add anything to a store bought crust, but if you find yourself with the time, add the zest of one lemon to the crust. You’re welcome.
Use a rimmed baking surface
I used a cast iron skillet, since I knew there was a risk the filling would spill out. I made two errors, one with the crust (math is hard to do in your head when your toddler is pulling on your leg) and one with the filling. You might have some spillage, but nothing like mine. Still, a rimmed baking sheet or skillet will catch any potential spills.
Easy Lemon Berry Galette
- prep time: 5-10 minutes (longer if making crust from scratch)
- cook time: 40-50 minutes
- total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
- one single pie crust (homemade or store bought)
- 3-4 cups fresh berries (see note)
- ½-⅔ cup sugar
- pinch sea salt
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- zest of 1-2 lemons
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg, whisked (optional, for a shiny crust)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven or grill to 400. If grilling, simply turn on all burners to high until it reaches at least 450.
- Rinse and dry your berries. If using strawberries, remove stem and halve it quarter them. Place all filling ingredients in a bowl and stir. Set aside
- Unfold thawed pie crust onto a square of parchment paper, or roll out homemade pie crust into a 10-12 inch circle and trim edges if desired. At this point, check grill and turn down if it’s over 500.
- Place berries in the middle of the crust, leaving a 2-3 inch gap along the edges and piling them up slightly in the middle. Begin folding the edge over the filling, overlapping a bit each time. Brush with whisked egg, if using. I don’t like egg washed crust, so I opted out.
- Place parchment on a rimmed baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet. You’ll want the rim to prevent any juices from spilling. Bake in the oven or on a closed grill for 40-50 minutes, checking around 35 minutes to be sure it doesn’t burn. If grilling, turn down grill to low when you put the galette on and watch for the first few minutes to make sure the temperature stays somewhere between 375 and 425. Check periodically as grill temperatures can change with the ambient weather.
- Once the edges are golden and the filling bubble throughout, remove from oven/grill and cool on the pan.
Enjoy! Serve warm with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.