A rustic, elegant dessert combining tender spiced pears, crunchy walnuts, and a flaky crust. This galette brings the gentle warmth of autumn flavors onto my table with minimal fuss.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I love how the syrup-poached pears soak up warm spices while still holding their shape. The walnuts add a lovely crunch and depth. The free-form crust (galette style) means I don’t need a pie dish or fuss with perfect edges, and it still feels special enough for guests. It tastes best fresh, but I can make the components in advance, which gives me flexibility when baking.

Ingredients

(Here’s a tip: Check out the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)

For the crust:

• 3 tablespoons sour cream (or substitute with low-fat yogurt or buttermilk)

• About ⅓ cup ice-cold water, plus extra for finishing sugar

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling)

• ¼ cup yellow cornmeal

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 6–8 pieces

For the simple syrup and pears:

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 cups water

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 2 to 3 coin-size slices fresh (unpeeled) ginger root

• Several slices lemon

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 whole cloves

• 2 firm (not quite ripe) Bartlett pears, cored, peeled, cut in half lengthwise

• ¼ cup walnut halves, toasted

• 2 tablespoons golden raisins

• 2 to 3 tablespoons mild-flavored honey

For assembly:

• Coarse sugar (such as raw sugar or Demerara)

Directions

1. Make the crust base. Whisk together sour cream and ice water in a small bowl.

2. Combine dry ingredients. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt.

3. Add butter. Add the pieces of cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (some pea-sized bits remain).

4. Form dough. With the motor running, pour in the sour cream mixture and process just until a soft dough forms with moist curds.

5. Chill. Divide the dough into two halves. Pat each into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or overnight).

6. Poach pears. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, water, and vinegar; stir to dissolve sugar. Add wine, ginger, lemon slices, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring to a boil, then add pear halves and cook 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

7. Preheat oven. When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 °F (≈190 °C).

8. Roll dough. On lightly floured parchment sheets, roll each disk into a ~12-inch round.

9. Prepare filling & drain pears. Drain pears (reserve and strain syrup if desired). Slice pears ¼-inch thick and mound in center of each dough round. Sprinkle walnuts and raisins evenly over pears. Drizzle with honey.

10. Fold edges. Fold the edges of dough inward over the filling to form rustic galettes.

11. Finish & bake. Brush dough with a little cold water, then sprinkle coarse sugar on top. Transfer the galettes (with parchment) to baking sheet(s). Bake about 20–25 minutes, until golden and crisp.

12. Cool slightly & serve. Let the galettes rest a bit before cutting into wedges.

Servings And Timing

This recipe makes two 8-inch galettes, enough for approximately 12 servings (small wedges).

• Dough chilling time: minimum 2 hours (or up to overnight)

• Poaching pears + cooling: some additional time (can be done in advance)

• Baking time: 20–25 minutes per galette

Variations

• I sometimes swap the Bartlett pears for Bosc or Anjou, depending on what I have on hand.

• Walnuts can be replaced or combined with pecans or hazelnuts.

• Instead of honey, a drizzle of maple syrup works beautifully.

• I might add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the simple syrup for extra warmth.

• For a sweeter finish, I sometimes glaze the baked galette with a thin apricot jam coating.

Storage / Reheating

I recommend serving the galette the same day for best texture. If there are leftovers:

• Cover loosely and store at room temperature for up to 1 day.

• Or refrigerate in an airtight container for 2–3 days.

• To reheat, I preheat the oven to about 350 °F (≈175 °C) and warm slices for 5–10 minutes until heated through and crisped.

• I avoid microwaving, as it makes the crust soggy.

FAQs

1. What if I don’t want to poach the pears first?

I could skip the poaching step, but the pears won’t absorb the spiced syrup flavors as deeply. They also may release more juice while baking, making the crust soggy. Poaching helps set the pears and infuse flavor.

2. Can I make the dough ahead and freeze it?

Yes. I can wrap the dough disks tightly in plastic and freeze for up to a month. When ready, I thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

3. Can I make a single large galette instead of two smaller ones?

Yes, I can roll all the dough into one large round, just adjust baking time slightly (might need a few more minutes) and monitor doneness.

4. What can I serve with this galette?

I often pair it with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or crème fraîche. A light scoop of vanilla bean ice cream especially complements the spiced pear flavors.

5. My crust edges browned too fast — how can I prevent burning?

I sometimes tent the edges loosely with foil after about 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning while letting the center finish baking.

Conclusion

I find this Spiced Pear Walnut Galette a perfect blend of rustic charm and refined flavors. The poached pears soaked in warm spices, the crunch of toasted walnuts, and the flaky crust all come together with minimal fuss. Whether I’m making it for weeknight dessert or entertaining guests, it’s a dessert I reach for again and again.