Pear and Toffee Galette

Hello, lovely readers of The Sweet {Tooth} Life!

You might have not heard of me.  That's okay, Mary Frances hadn't (and she still doesn't know how to pronounce my name either)

But now, she can't stop thinking of how amazing I am.

Oh, I'm a galette.  Formalities, formalities ...

You want to know why I am so amazing?

Because I look like you spent hours in the kitchen, slaving over my crust and fancy filling.

In reality, I take little more than five minutes of prep work before you let my buddy, the oven, do the final face job.

Shhh, don't tell anyone.  Mary Frances is the only one in on the secret so far (or so she thinks ... she's a bit blonde sometimes)

Man, am I a looker or what?  Just check out that lovely caramelized pear juice and toffee bits.  Finger licking good.

Oh, I forgot.  I'm supposed to be a special dessert.  No finger licking around here.

Wait, never mind, I have a dual nature - rustic AND gorgeous.  (and Mary Frances has been reading too much physics - dual nature??  Really??  This is a post on the finesse of galettes, not light waves!)

I digress.

My crust is flaky, buttery, and melt in your mouth, just like traditional pie crust. 

BUT -

 unlike traditional pie crust, it comes together in less than five minutes and doesn't require and crimping or cutting or primping.  You just roll it out onto a cookie sheet.  Yeah, I know, so easy, it is kind of crazy.  Just roll me out and then arrange the pear and toffee bits.

Ah yes, the pear.  The ingredient that makes me fancy.  The sweet and slightly tart pear slices soften and caramelize with the toffee bits to create a luscious filling.  And you don't even have to stir or boil or anything!  It is all done in the oven during the baking time.  The slices retain their polished look while still melting and baking into a rich filling.

I was a hit.

I mean, I was so good, there was absolutely nothing left.

I was -

*Mary Frances here*  someone has got way too big of a head for their own good, soooo I'll just go ahead and finish this post. 

Uhhh, well, it looks like everything is already covered.  Guess my galette was right.  Pie ain't got nothing on it.  How can you top quick, easy, stunning, and delicious?

Step to the right for autographs.

Pear and Toffee Galette
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life.  Adapted from: Food and Wine
Yield: 6-8 servings

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 stick butter + 2 tablespoons) butter
1/3 cup ice water*

1 ripe pear, thinly sliced (I used Bartlett)
1/3 cup Heath toffee baking bits
1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Cut cold butter into 1 inch cubes.
Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture.  This will take a couple minutes.
OR using a food processor, pulse butter into flour mixture a couple times.
Add ice water and cut in until incorporated and dough pulls together.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
Set aside.
Slice pear into thin slices, about 1/4 inch thick.
Layer pear slices and toffee bits over dough, leaving 2-3 inches of crust around the edge.
Drizzle pear and toffee with honey.
Pull the edges of the dough up and over the pears, creating an edge.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until dough is lightly browned.

*mix ice and tap water and let sit for a couple minutes.  Measure out 1/3 cup water, making sure there is no ice in the water that you're using for the galette.