Sweetly fruity, colorful and fun, these rustic strawberry mango mini galettes will brighten up your table and your taste buds. Fresh strawberries and mango slices are stirred with honey, layered over a delicious almond paste and baked in a lightly sweet pastry.
When I want to bake with fruit and find myself at a loss, I turn to the galette. Making a galette (or four mini galettes) is easier than making a pie, but gives a very similar result: warm, juicy fruit against the backdrop of a flaky, tender pastry. And in this case, a homemade almond paste adds flavor and texture. The beauty of making galettes is that they are not supposed to look perfect, and in fact, the more imperfect they look, the more authentically rustic and pretty they look. If you suffer from perfectionism (like I do), making galettes is a good way to let it go. And the flavor of the fruit and almond paste with the pastry is lovely!
I based the recipe for these strawberry mango mini galettes on one I found in the cookbook Savor by Ilona Oppenhiem. I made several changes, for the sake of simplicity and based on what I had on hand, but the gist of the recipe comes from her inspiring cookbook. The pastry is made with a combination of olive oil and butter, and it is lightly sweetened with honey. The oat flour in the pastry makes it a little more difficult to fold, but it adds nutrition and gives it a heartier texture. I chose strawberries and mango for the fruit filling because mangoes have been on crazy sales this week, and strawberries will be in season soon. I just love the colors in these mini galettes, and the flavor is cheerful as well.
Spring is in full swing here, and because of all the rain we had earlier in the month, the world is alive with shades of bright, fresh green. It is a special green that is here only in the springtime. Though this time of year brings with it a lot of work, it also brings such beauty, and wakes up my senses that have been dulled by the long, cold winter.
The school year is almost over, and we have had track meets, soccer games, and other events almost every evening for the past month or so. It makes finding time for dinners very challenging, but I love to watch my kids and their teammates play their sports, and I love to listen to them play in the band. In the big picture, the time that they are in this phase is very short, and getting shorter every day.
At these events, we see a lot of the same parents multiple times a week. Over the years, some of these fellow parents have become dear friends and their kids have become like family. We help each other with transportation and have each other’s kids over to our houses. We help each other with decisions and with daily dilemmas. We share stories about the joys and challenges and of raising teenagers. We laugh at ourselves, we jump and cheer at soccer games, and we get choked up and cry during band concerts. We don’t allow each other to take ourselves too seriously, yet we are totally dedicated, and at times, completely serious. The older I get, the more I am appreciating the importance of relationships and connections with family and friends. Food helps bind people together, and the benefits of that cannot be underrated. These mini galettes are a fun treat and a tribute to those who appreciate good food and meaningful connections. Have a great weekend!
Strawberry Mango Mini Galettes
Ingredients:
For the filling:
- 1 and 1/2 cups of fresh strawberries, washed, with stems removed, and thinly sliced
- 1 fresh ripe mango, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon of honey (or more, to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
For the almond paste:
- 1 cup of raw almonds (I used sliced raw almonds)
- 1/3 cup of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon of almond extract
- 1 egg
For the pastry:
- 1 cup of oat flour
- 1 and 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour, if desired)
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons of honey
Directions:
First make the pastry dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and the sea salt. Add the olive oil and the butter, and mix together with your hands until the dough resembles coarse, wet sand. Add the honey and mix with a wooden spoon. If the dough does not hold together, add some water, a tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition, until the dough holds together. Knead the dough inside of the bowl until the dough comes together in a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least a half hour, or overnight.
While the dough is chilling, make the almond paste. Place the almonds in a blender or food processor. Blend until they are in a powder form. Add the sugar, honey, and almond extract and blend again until a paste forms. Scrape the paste into a bowl and add the egg. Stir well with a large spoon.
Wash and prepare the fruit. In a bowl, combine the sliced fruit with the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir gently.
When the pastry dough has chilled, pull it out of the refrigerator and shape it into four balls. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the dough balls on the lined baking sheet and with lightly floured hands, press them into circles about four to five inches in diameter. Spread the almond paste on the dough circles, leaving about one and a half to two inches for a border. Arrange the fruit on top of the almond paste. Gently fold the edges of the dough circles over the fruit filling. Remember, it doesn’t have to look perfect. It will taste great!
Bake in your 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crusts are lightly golden. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
These are so perfect. I can’t wait to make them all rustic and bubbly. It’ll be nice that the schedule is winding down a bit. And it’s so lovely that you’ve grown to appreciate the bond you’ve formed with other parents. Beautiful. Have a wonderful weekend! Xo
Thanks, Amanda! Making galettes is one of my favorite forms of therapy. 🙂 Thank you so much for reading and commenting, I have missed being in this space the past month! xo
What a lovely recipe and post. I am with you on the kid activities — and on all the friendships I’ve made through them. Can’t wait to give this dessert a try!
Thank you, Christina! I hope you enjoy the galettes!
omg Yum! it looks really amazing and perfect for summertime!
Thank you so much, Mary Frances!