Peach-Clotted Cream Galette
A rustic free-form tart using ripe Shelton Farm peaches and a butter-rich puff pastry aged for depth and aroma.
Shelton Farm peaches ripen fully on the vine and are harvested at peak flavor, usually in mid-summer. Their low acidity and intense sugar content reduce the need for added sweeteners and help the filling set naturally with minimal thickener. When halved and sliced, their firm flesh holds shape better than supermarket varieties during baking.
A traditional hay-aging technique—where butter rests near dried hay bales—infuses subtle herbaceous notes into the puff pastry. This process alters the fat’s crystalline structure slightly, yielding a more fragrant, crisper crust. The pastry is rested multiple times between folds to relax gluten and ensure even rise without shrinking.
Baking the galette early ensures the crust is crisp and the fruit still warm and juicy at pickup. A preheated stone or steel delivers even bottom heat, while a final broil step browns the edges and thickens the juices. Glazing with apricot jam brushed on while warm adds shine and seals in moisture without masking the peach flavor.
