This chocolate cherry galette has a crisp and flaky chocolate pastry with almonds, melted chocolate filling, topped with a gooey cherry filling. Sprinkle with some powdered sugar, and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. This makes the perfect indulgent dessert or addition to your brunch table. This recipe makes 4 double serving galettes. Or if you're hungry (like I was), each one can be a single serving.
I based this galette recipe off of the flavours of a black forest cake. So technically these can also be called black forest galettes. It has the chocolate, cherries, liquor, and if you top it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream - you can have it all! No wonder black forest cake is such a classic, the flavours just work together so well. I also added some sliced almonds on top that toast perfectly in the oven as the chocolate galette bakes, giving them a bit of extra crunch and almond flavour.
The best part about galettes is how much easier they are to make than a pie, yet they have all of the delicious flavour and texture that a chocolate cherry pie has. And it is perfectly rustic, so you don’t need to worry about making it look perfect.
Frequently asked questions
This recipe uses frozen sweet cherries for the filling so that you can enjoy this all year round, but you can use fresh pitted sweet cherries. If using fresh cherries, check on the galettes in the oven about 10 minutes earlier because they will be done faster.
Use good quality butter and make sure it is as cold as possible before starting. I like to cut mine into little cubes on a plate and freeze for about 10 minutes.
Do not incorporate the butter into the flour until it becomes too small. You want those larger pea sized chunks that will help create flaky layers.
Do not overwork the dough. Make sure you handle it as little as possible to avoid melting the butter too much and overworking the gluten.
Do not add too much water - only add enough to help the dough together. It is important that the water is very cold and has pieces of ice inside.
Fold the pastry right before refrigerating. This will make lots of layers in the pastry.
Make sure to handle the pastry as quickly as possible, keeping the pastry that you are not currently working with in the refrigerator.
Make sure you scoop the dry parts of the filling into the galette along with the filling. The flour will help to thicken the sauce.
Bake until the bottom of the chocolate cherry galette is crisp. If you run a knife along the bottom side, it should feel hard and make hollow noises.
You can use brandy, cherry liquor, or any other liquor you prefer. To make it alcohol free, dilute the strained
apricot with an equivalent amount of hot water and mix until smooth.
Check out my other recipes:
🍒 Ingredients
Full ingredients and steps in recipe card below.
Pastry
- All purpose flour: I have not tested this recipe with other flours so I cannot recommend any substitutions.
- Natural cocoa powder: Use natural cocoa powder for the best flavour in this application.
- Sea salt: Helps add more flavour and bring out the chocolate.
- Brown sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness and flavour to the crust. Substitute with granulated sugar.
- Cold butter, cut into small cubes: The butter needs to be very cold for a flaky crust. You can put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes before using it, which will help it keep cold.
- Pure vanilla extract: Adds some vanilla flavour to the chocolate.
- Ice water with pieces of ice: There have to be pieces of ice in the water for it to be cold enough. This is so that the butter in the pastry stays as cold as possible.
Eggwash
- Egg: Gives the crust a crisp exterior and help the almonds stick.
- Milk: Helps to loosen the egg so that it is easy to brush on.
- Sliced almonds: Adds texture and flavour as they toast in the oven while the galette bakes. The sliced almonds are optional.
Chocolate Cherry Filling
- Sweet cherries, frozen and pitted: Substitute with fresh sweet cherries (see above for baking time). You can also substitute the cherries with a frozen berry of choice.
- Brown sugar: Gives the filling sweetness and caramel flavour. Substitute with granulated sugar if you prefer.
- All purpose flour: This will help to thicken the cherry filling.
- Almond extract: Pairs beautifully with the cherries and brings out their flavour. You can leave this out if you prefer but it makes a huge difference.
- Semisweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate: use whichever chocolate you have on hand! If you want to use milk chocolate, use less of it or it may make the galette too sweet. If you want to skip the extra chocolate (you do you of course), you totally can!
Apricot glaze (optional)
- Apricot jam: You can use an apple or pear jam instead but apricot works the best.
- 3 tablespoon golden rum or cherry liquor: Or use your other favourite mild flavoured liquor. You can substitute this with hot water instead.
To serve
- Powdered sugar: Optional for a whimsical touch
- Vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream: This will bring that vanilla creaminess to the galette, balancing the chocolate flavours. Who doesn't love a warm flaky chocolate cherry galette with a scoop of melty ice cream a scoop or two of whipped cream.
🥄 Steps
Chocolate Pastry
- Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar in food processor.
- Cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs with larger pea sized pieces. Work quickly.
- Add the vanilla extract and pour in the ice water, a few tablespoons at a time, mixing just until it starts to form a dough. You will use a little over half of the ice water.
- Gather the pastry into a ball, flattening and folding to create layers in the pastry.
- Divide into 4 balls and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Process
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Combine the frozen cherries, sugar, flour, and almond extract.
- Roll out one disk of chocolate pastry.
- Spread chocolate chips into the center of the pastry disk and pile on a quarter of the cherry filling on top.
- Bring in the edges of the pastry on top of the filling, leaving a hole in the middle for the filling to peek through.
- Repeat with the rest of the pieces of pastry and the filling.
- Whisk together the egg and milk for the egg wash. Brush all over the edges of the galettes and sprinkle on the sliced almonds.
- Transfer the galettes onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. Switch and rotate the galettes halfway through. They are done when the tops and bottoms are crisp.
Apricot Glaze
- Strain the apricot jam so it is smooth.
- Add the rum or cherry liquor to the jam and mix together well.
- Brush the glaze over the cherry filling in the galette while it is still hot.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. The chocolate cherry galette filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
Chocolate Cherry Galette
Equipment
- Food processor, pastry cutter, or knife
- Baking sheets
Ingredients
Chocolate Pastry
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour 270 g
- ¼ cup natural cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 cup cold butter cut into small cubes
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup ice water with pieces of ice
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon milk
- ½ cup sliced almonds
Chocolate Cherry Filling
- 4 cups sweet cherries pitted and frozen
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
Apricot glaze (optional)
- 3 tablespoon apricot jam
- 3 tablespoon golden rum or cherry liquor
To serve
- 4 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 4 scoops vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream
Instructions
Chocolate Pastry
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder together in a large bowl or the food processor. Add the salt and sugar. Mix together well.2 ¼ cup all purpose flour, ¼ cup natural cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a knife, pastry cutter, or pulsing with a food processor. Cut until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs with larger pea sized pieces. Work quickly to not melt the butter.1 cup cold butter
- Add the vanilla extract and pour in the ice water, a few tablespoons at a time (mixing in between), just until it starts to form a dough. You will use a little over half of the ice water.½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 cup ice water
- Gather the pastry into a ball. Flatten and fold three times to create layers in the pastry.
- Form into a disk. Cut into quarters, and form into 4 balls. Flatten the balls into disks, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Chocolate Cherry Filling
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Combine the frozen cherries, sugar, flour, and almond extract in a large bowl.4 cups sweet cherries, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoon all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Roll out one disk of chocolate pastry to ⅛” thick on a well floured surface.
- Spread ¼ cup of chocolate chips into the center of the pastry disk and pile on a quarter of the cherry filling on top. Make sure to leave a 2” border all around without any filling. Add the dry bits at the bottom of the bowl of cherry filling into the galette, it will help to thicken the filling.1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Bring in the edges of the pastry on top of the filling, leaving an open area in the middle for the filling to peak through.
- Repeat with the rest of the pieces of pastry and the filling.
- Whisk together the egg and milk for the egg wash. Brush all over the edges of the galettes and sprinkle on the sliced almonds.1 large egg, 2 tablespoon milk, ½ cup sliced almonds
- Carefully transfer the galettes onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Leave a few inches of space in between each galette.
- Bake the galettes in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, checking on them at 45 minutes. Switch and rotate the galettes halfway through baking so that they bake evenly. They are done when the tops and bottoms are crisp, and the almonds are toasted.
Apricot Glaze (optional)
- Strain the apricot jam by pushing it through a sieve so that it is smooth.3 tablespoon apricot jam
- Add the rum or cherry liquor to the jam and mix together well. Brush the glaze over the cherry filling in the galette while it is still hot.3 tablespoon golden rum
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with scoops of ice cream or whipped cream4 tablespoon powdered sugar, 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
Notes
Did you make this recipe? I would love to hear what you think in the comments! Share your creation on Instagram and tag @flouringkitchen.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!