It was the event they said could never happen. Well, Ray Graf said it could never happen. And he was almost correct. A large contingent of rowdy Food Friday fans converged on Terrapin Restaurant on March 31, 2025 to watch Chef Gail Sokol give it her best shot. She proved to be a very capable teacher. The pupil? Let's just say that he probably shouldn't apply for any bakery work.
Chef-Educator Gail Sokol has been teaching children and adults about baking for over 20 years, beginning as an instructor at SUNY Schenectady in the Culinary Department and later at The Sage Colleges in the Nutrition Department. Chef Gail is the author of a professional textbook, “About Professional Baking,” and a cookbook “Baking With Success.”
Apple Galette
Makes 1 12-14 inch tart
Flaky Pastry
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon ice water, plus more, if needed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Filling
- 3-4 medium crisp apples such as Gala or Granny Smith peeled, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter cut into tiny pieces
- 1 egg, lightly beaten (to use as a glaze)
- Granulated sugar for sprinkling
Make Flaky Pastry
- In a large bowl, using a pastry blender, combine flour and salt.
- Add butter to the bowl and cut in, using the pastry blender, until butter forms pea-sized pieces.
- Add the ice water and vinegar all at once and using a spoon, combine just until a dough forms. If the dough is too dry, drizzle in more ice water until dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and gently gather into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and flatten into a 1 inch thick disk. Chill for 20 minutes.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a rough 12-14 inch circle.
- In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
- Scatter the sugar mixture all over the rolled out crust leaving 2 inches of the edge uncovered.
- Arrange sliced apples on top of sugar mixture. Scatter tiny butter pieces all over the apples.
- Using a pastry brush, brush border of crust with beaten egg.
- Fold the edges of the galette up over the apples creating a 1½-2 inch border, pressing down gently. Transfer the galette to a sheet pan covered with parchment paper.
- Brush the edges of the galette with the beaten egg and sprinkle the entire galette, including the border, with granulated sugar.
- Bake the galette for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and the apples are softened.
Serve the galette warm.
