This Pear and Ginger Galette Is the Cozy Showstopper Your Weekend Deserves

If you think dessert needs a degree in pastry science, this galette will happily prove you wrong. It’s rustic, stunning, and tastes like autumn married a bakery. Buttery crust, tender pears, and a zing of fresh ginger—aka the flavor combo that makes people ask for seconds and the recipe.

Make it for brunch flexes, dinner parties, or “I just want something amazing” nights. Six ingredients you probably have, one pan, zero stress.

What Makes This Recipe Awesome

• Effortless elegance: No fancy pie tin or lattice work. Fold, bake, brag.
• Bold flavor balance: Sweet pears meet spicy ginger with a whisper of lemon.
• Adaptable: Works with store-bought or homemade dough, ripe or slightly firm pears.
• Textural win: Crisp, flaky crust + jammy fruit = instant crowd-pleaser.
• Make-ahead friendly: Prep the dough and pears in advance, bake when ready.

What You’ll Need (Ingredients)

• 1 sheet all-butter pie dough (store-bought or homemade; about 9–10 inches)
• 3 medium ripe pears (Bosc or Anjou), cored and thinly sliced
• 2–3 tbsp granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1.5 tsp fresh grated ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
• 1 tsp lemon zest + 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (or 1.5 tbsp tapioca starch)
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water (egg wash)
• 1 tbsp cold butter, cut into tiny cubes
• Pinch of salt
• Optional finish: coarse sugar for the crust, warm apricot jam for glazing

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat the oven: Preheat to 400°F (200°C).

   Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Prep the pears: In a bowl, toss slices with granulated sugar, brown sugar, ginger, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Let sit 5 minutes to get juicy.
3. Roll the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a rough 12-inch circle. Transfer to the lined baking sheet.
4. Assemble: Arrange pears in the center, leaving a 2-inch border.

   Dot pears with cold butter. Fold the edges up and over, pleating naturally.

5. Gloss and sparkle: Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar for crunch. Because we’re fancy like that.
6. Bake: 30–40 minutes until the crust is deep golden and the fruit is bubbling.

   If the edges brown too fast, tent with foil.

7. Optional glaze: Warm 1–2 tbsp apricot jam and brush lightly over the fruit for shine.
8. Rest: Cool 15–20 minutes so the juices thicken. Slice and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Storage Tips

• Room temp: Keep loosely covered up to 24 hours.
• Fridge: Store slices in an airtight container for 3 days. Recrisp in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes.
• Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months.

  Reheat from frozen at 350°F until hot and flaky.

What’s Great About This

• Budget-friendly luxury: Market pears + pantry staples = bakery-level dessert.
• Scalable: Make two on one sheet if your squad is hungry (they are).
• Season-proof: Works with pears at various ripeness levels; baking does the heavy lifting.

Avoid These Mistakes

• Skipping starch: No thickener = soup galette. Use cornstarch or tapioca.
• Overloading fruit: Tall piles leak. Keep an even, compact layer.
• Warm dough: Warm pastry = sad, shrinking crust.

  Keep it cold.

• Underbaking: Pale crust is raw crust. Bake until deep golden and bubbling.
• Too much ginger: It’s potent. Start with the recipe amount, upgrade later if you’re a spice boss.

Variations You Can Try

• Ginger-pear frangipane: Spread 2–3 tbsp almond paste mixed with an egg white under the pears.
• Maple cardamom: Swap some sugar for 1–2 tbsp maple syrup; add 1/4 tsp ground cardamom.
• Cheddar crust: Add 1/3 cup finely grated sharp cheddar to the dough for a sweet-savory vibe.
• Nut crunch: Sprinkle chopped pistachios or hazelnuts over the pears before baking.
• Citrus twist: Orange zest instead of lemon, plus a drizzle of orange blossom honey after baking.

FAQ

Can I use puff pastry instead of pie dough?

Yes.

Keep it cold, dock the center lightly with a fork, and bake at 400°F. Puff pastry will rise more and cook a bit faster—check at 25 minutes.

Which pears work best?

Bosc and Anjou hold shape nicely. Bartletts are sweeter and softer—delicious, but slice thicker and use an extra 1/2 tsp cornstarch, FYI.

Do I need to peel the pears?

Nope.

The skins soften and add color and fiber. Peel if you prefer a cleaner look.

How do I make it dairy-free?

Use a dairy-free pastry and swap the butter for coconut oil or a vegan butter. Brush the crust with plant milk instead of egg wash.

Can I prep it ahead?

Yes.

Tossed pears hold 2–3 hours in the fridge. Assemble the galette and chill unbaked up to 12 hours; bake straight from the fridge.

Why is my crust leaking?

Likely too much juice or not enough starch. Next time, add another 1/2–1 tsp cornstarch and avoid mounding fruit too high.

Wrapping Up

This Pear and Ginger Galette delivers maximum payoff with minimum hassle—sweet, spicy, flaky, and downright photogenic.

Make one for dessert, then eat the leftovers for breakfast and call it research, IMO. Once you nail this, you’ve basically unlocked “pastry person” status without the drama. Now preheat that oven and claim your applause.