A little over a week ago I got to go up to The Pioneer Woman’s lodge and partake in a fabulous time of making macarons and a photography workshop for the lovely and talented Helene of the beautiful blog Tartelette. Also if you didn’t know Helene also has a beautiful book out called Plate to Pixel which is all about photography and the craft of food styling.
I have never had the opportunity to try a real macaron. I planned on many occasions to to attempt to make them myself but always managed to talk myself out of it. I heard so many stories of how temperamental they can be, however, Helene made the entire process look effortless.
I finally got the opportunity to try a real macaron and the bonus was it was made by a real French pastry chef. How could I have gone so long without knowing the delectable loveliness of a macaron. Where have you been all my life you little crispy, chewy, creamy macaron?
After making macarons we broke for lunch and then Helene started her photography workshop. She taught us all kinds of tips and tricks from her new book Plate to Pixel. She did a demo of how she styles a plate.
Photo Credit: The Pioneer Woman
After the workshop we divided into groups and styled our own plates of macarons. I found a little tea cup that I thought would be a great vessel to hold my macarons.
Photo Credit: The Pioneer Woman
Isn’t that a wonderful looking cup of macarons?
Helene in all of her awesomeness and hospitality gave everyone that came to the workshop a copy of her new book and a little goodie bag full of styling tools.
After going to the workshop and spending some time reading her book I was pumped to try and step up my photography and styling. It was perfect timing because I had just picked up my co-op share bag which had cherries and apricots, therefore it was time for a Cherry & Apricot Galette.
First you need the base for your galette or what could also be called a rustic tart. Here I am going to show you my go to pie crust. This pie crust is awesome and easy to make. Trust me once you try this pie crust you will never visit the freezer pie section again. Thank you Chez Pim for this wonderfully simple pie crust recipe.
Dump 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour on your work surface. Take 8 oz of butter cut into chunks and tuck them into the flour.
Using your hands and a pastry scraper press the flour and butter together until it resembles a crumble.
Pour 1/4 cup of cold water over the flour mixture. Using your hands and pastry scraper work the water into the mixture until it comes together into a ball.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or if you’re impatient like me stick it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
While the dough is in the refrigerator or freezer get all your fruit together. I decided to use black velvet apricots and black cherries, but this would work well with any stone fruit.
Thinly slice the apricot halves and pitted cherries. You will also need 1 tablespoon of thinly sliced sweet basil, 1/4 of corn starch and 1/2 cup of honey.
In a bowl combine fruit, cornstarch, basil, and honey and set aside.
While the fruit “marinates” preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grab your dough from the refrigerator and lightly flour your work surface. Roll the dough out to about 10 inches in diameter. Because I am doing a rustic tart and mildly OCD I take a tray or plate that is about 10 inches in diameter and cut off the rough edges of my dough.
That way I end up with a perfect circle with perfect edges.
Spread your fruit mixture in the center of the pie dough leaving a 2 inch boarder.
Bring the edges over the fruit to create a 2-inch border or so and repeat the procedure until a complete border is created. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar, bake for about 30 minutes. Mix corn syrup and water together in a small bowl and gently brush over crust and filling, bake and additional 3 minutes.
Hello lover!
This galette almost did not make it to the next day, OB helped himself to 3 slices.
Not only is it beautiful with it’s rich color and flaky crust and sugar crystals but it’s delicious. The apricots and cherries are both sweet and tart and the basil adds a beautiful brightness that gives the galette an extra perk. The most surprising part is that the best bite is the outer edge because you get double the flaky crust with the delicious filling.
I may not be a big fan of the summer because of the insane heat but I love that the summer means delicious stone fruit.
Now if you will excuse me I have to arm wrestle my husband for the last slice. Wish me luck!
BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE!
Not only was Helene sweet enough to give us all a copy of her book but she was double sweet enough to give me an extra copy to give to you!
That’s right….it’s time for a GIVEAWAY!
GIVEAWAY:
To enter this giveaway for Helene’s lovely book Plate to Pixel, which by the way if I didn’t mention is also autographed, leave a comment answering this question.
What is your favorite thing to photograph?
RULES:
One entry per person.
Winner chosen at random using random.org.
Entry deadline Thursday at midnight CT. Winner announced here on Friday.
Good luck!
THE WINNER IS!
Jeff @ cheese-burger.net
“I love taking photographs of my dog. By the way this galette looks great! Thanks for sharing the simple pie crust recipe.”
Please contact me at [email protected] to claim your prize.
Thank you to everyone who commented. I loved reading all of your comments and getting to know you a little better.
Cherry & Apricot Galette
Pie Crust
- 2 1/4 cups AP flour
- 8 oz cold salted butter
- 1/4 cup water
Filling
- 6 small black velvet apricots
- 1 pint black sweet cherries, pitted
- 1 tablespoon sweet basil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1 tbs water
Prepare the crust
On your work surface pour your flour and tuck slices of butter in the flour, mix with a pastry scraper or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time and mix until the dough comes together in a ball. Flatten into a disk in between your hands and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the fruit:
Cut the apricots in half and remove the pits. Cut each apricot half and cherry in thin slices. Mix them together in a large bowl with the basil, honey and cornstarch. Let stand 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350F and position a rack in the middle.
When ready to assemble, roll the dough to about 1/8-inch thick to make a rough 9 to 10-inch circle. Place a 9 to 10 inch dish on the dough and trim the edges. Place the dough circle on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Spread the apricot and cherry slices inside that circle. Bring the edges over the fruit to create a 2-inch border and repeat until you have a complete border. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar, bake for about 30 minutes. Combine corn syrup and water, brush over crust and bake for and additional 2 minutes, allow to cool completely.
My nieces and nephews.
My kids, of course, except the 2-year-old is never still and the 4-year-old currently only wants to make weird faces in photos. Sigh.
My orchids
Landscapes and architecture. I love beautiful old buildings.
My husband. 🙂
I think you know by now I take wayyyy too many pictures of Sampson. But that might change a little once Allie gets here 🙂
My friends! But after that my dog Jagger. Food too. Man, I’m awful at picking favorites!
It’s hard to pick just one. So right now I gotta say flowers, it’s a great season for it. And food, of course. An all-time favorite is pets, but I don’t have any right now (sob). So I did pick a fave – three times. I know, I have a problem of limiting myself.
Love the OCD comment. I’m also self-diagnosed mildly OCD – on a practical level. That’s why I alphabetize my spices 🙂
My Kids! They make the silliest faces.
We are pretty fond of photographing insects in flowers!
I love to photograph the beach! If it is sunset time is a BONUS! I’ve tried to photograph some of my dishes but most of the time the picture its just bad.
My 14-month-old Zeke is my favorite thing to photograph!
I love taking photographs of my dog. By the way this galette looks great! Thanks for sharing the simple pie crust recipe.
What a wonderful post! Loved seeing you apply Helene’s techniques so quickly. I have the book and love it. It has forced me to get better acquainted with my camera. 😉
That’s easy..my grandchildren.
I love to photograph what I call “context”, it’s basically the scene which you find yourself in. My family always makes fun of me when I come home from vacation because 99% of my photos are water, sky, mountains, trees, etc. I need to consciously remind myself to take pictures of the people I’m with!
My favorite thing to photograph is nature. God is the best artist!
I love to photograph my children with their food. I love the perspective it gives to the meal and the record it gives my kids of their life. Thanks for the chance!
I love to take pictures of food in general but I especially love taking pictures of my food in restaurants when im particularly pleased with my order and want to remember or show it off! 🙂
my most favorite thing to photograph is people when they don’t know it. they are honest and true and beautiful however the lens catches them.
My favorite things to photograph are my husband and dog.
The galette looks yummy – on my list to make this week.
Thanks.
You.
Candid shots! But I might try taking up food if I can get my hands on this book! Thanks!!!
I usually like taking landscapes, but lately every picture has been of food!
My favourite thing to photograph is food!!! Except… I’m not very good at it. Which is why I need the book! 😛
I love taking photos of my grand children and my garden, but I am interested in learning more about taking photos of food. I collect cookbooks and have so many recipes I would like to make and snap a shot of. Thanks for the giveaway. By the way, your pictures of the Galette are so good!!
I love photographing food and beautiful landscapes! I love your blog, by the way!
My 11month old baby girl Isabela…she is amazing!
candid shots of people or animals doing cute or funny or weird things!
I probably take more pictures of food than I do of anything else- but I could sure use some help in that department! My daughter often ends up grabbing my phone and snapping the shots for me!
I just got some beautiful organic sweet cherries in my CSA box. Think I’ll be galetting this week 😉
I love to photograph my new baby daughter!
My favorite thing to photograph is my 11 month old daughter!
My favorite thing to photograph are kittens when they’re playing.
My favorite thing to photograph would have to be my kids. Not only when the picture is perfect but also when it’s not so perfect.
My favorite thing to photograph is my dog Chip ~ He’s just so darn cute!!
right now? classic cars.
My sweet 9 year old boy. But, I would love to learn more from Helene!!
My favorite thing to photograph are my family and friends.
I’ll definitely be make that galette!
My Garden
While I love snapping pictures of my food whenever I’m out- I have to say my favorite things to photograph are definitely my pups 🙂
Your rustic cherry/apricot tart looks so gorgeous. I am always looking for pie crusts so I’m going to bookmark this one. I’ve been wanting to make a galette all summer so I’d better hurry up!
Photography…favorite thing to photograph? It mostly that I like to try and capture dishes in a dusky, moody setting. I love to wait until evening and see if I can just capture a ray of fading light to create a mood with a dish. Its hard but I like practicing…
I love to photograph my dog Bonnie – she is cute and the sweetest!
My favorite things to photograph are art dolls. I love seeing what wonderful creations people cn make from nothing to something wonderfull…sorta like cooking.
Hello,
I love everything about your website.
Your Asopao de Shrimps (I’m bilingual) lol
Can wake up the dead! But what do I like
To photographs of people out In nature.
Hey, my favorite thing to photograph are buildings.
My favorite thing to photograph is graffiti!
Hi,
the galette looks soo pretty!!
My favourite thing to photograph are eggs. heh. There are just so many different shades and colours, I think they make the most beautiful subject!
random, but i love photographing jewelry!! i’m obsessed with how the light plays off anything sparkly.
My cat. You wanna fight about it?!
The galette looks amazing! I already have a copy of her book, but would love love love a signed one!!
My favorite thing to photograph? Probably my family, friends, and food (yeah I know.. favorite means one).