Strawberry Frangipane Galette (Dairy-Free)
A galette is a free-form tart — no tart pan, no fussy crimping, no anxiety about whether the pastry will release cleanly. You roll the dough into a rough circle, pile the filling in the center, fold the edges over, and bake it directly on a sheet pan. The rusticity is a feature, not a compromise. A galette looks like it was made by someone who knows exactly what they're doing and doesn't need to prove it.
Strawberries in May — locally grown, genuinely in-season strawberries — are a different thing entirely from the ones available year-round in supermarkets. Those are bred for shelf life and shipping durability, picked underripe and often pale at their center. A May strawberry from a farmers market or a pick-your-own farm is deep red to its core, almost impossibly fragrant, and so juicy it stains everything it touches. This galette is built around that fruit, and it will not be the same made out of season. Wait for May, or wait for whenever your local strawberries actually peak.
The frangipane layer here is made with vegan butter and aquafaba — the liquid from a can of chickpeas, which whips into a foam and behaves remarkably like egg white in baked preparations. The result is an almond cream that is nutty, tender, and fragrant with almond extract, nearly indistinguishable in the finished tart from its traditional counterpart. If you eat eggs and butter, the classic version uses 115g softened butter beaten with 2 eggs in place of the vegan butter and aquafaba — same quantities, same method, equally delicious.
The pastry is an olive oil shortcrust — the same one from our April tart — which is fully plant-based by default, quick to make, and produces a pleasantly crisp, golden result that holds up beautifully to a juicy fruit filling.
Serves 6–8 · 1 hour 30 minutes (plus 30 minutes pastry rest)
INGREDIENTS
— For the olive oil pastry —
250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
80ml (⅓ cup) good olive oil
60–80ml (4–5 tablespoons) ice cold water
— For the almond frangipane —
115g (½ cup) vegan butter (such as Miyoko's or Earth Balance), at room temperature
115g (½ cup) sugar
3 tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
115g (1¼ cups) ground almonds (almond flour)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon almond extract
Optional dairy version: substitute 115g unsalted butter and 2 large eggs for the vegan butter and aquafaba
— For the strawberries —
500g (about 1 lb) fresh in-season strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Zest of half a lemon
— To finish —
2 tablespoons plant-based milk (oat or almond), for brushing
2 tablespoons flaked almonds
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling
Coconut cream or oat crème fraîche to serve (or dairy crème fraîche if preferred)
METHOD
1. Make the pastry: whisk flour, sugar, and salt together. Add olive oil and work with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together. Press into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Make the frangipane: beat the vegan butter and sugar together until pale and light, about 3 minutes. Add the aquafaba one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition — the mixture may look slightly curdled at first but will come together. Fold in the ground almonds, flour, and almond extract until smooth.
3. Toss the hulled strawberries with the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest. Let macerate for 15 minutes — the sugar draws out juice that will thicken and caramelize during baking.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
5. Roll the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rough circle about 35cm / 14 inches in diameter, 3–4mm thick. Transfer to the prepared sheet.
6. Spread the frangipane over the pastry, leaving a 5cm / 2-inch border. Arrange the macerated strawberries over the frangipane, leaving behind most of the accumulated juice to avoid a soggy base.
7. Fold the pastry border up and over the edge of the fruit, pleating as you go. Brush the folded edges with plant-based milk, scatter with flaked almonds, and sprinkle generously with demerara sugar.
8. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the pastry is deep golden, the frangipane is set and lightly colored at the edges, and the strawberries are jammy. Cool on the pan for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature with a spoonful of coconut cream or oat crème fraîche alongside.
