Serviceberries aren't around for long. The short season means we have to make the most of these sweet little berries. And our favorite way is this easy serviceberry galette with a grain-free crust.
The crust is gluten and dairy-free, but you would never know, it is so flaky and just a little sweet. The serviceberry filling is sweet and a little tart, and total perfection!
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Please read the entire post for tips and tricks to ensure a perfect recipe every time. And don't forget to tag @peelwithzeal on Instagram so we can admire your creation!
📖Serviceberry Q&A
Not sure what a serviceberry is? Lets go over some common questions.
What are serviceberries?
Serviceberries, also referred to as Juneberries or Saskatoon berries are the edible small sweet fruit of the tree by the same name. Common in the Northern US and Canada, these small trees are often used in landscaping. Chances are you or someone you know has one in their yard.
Serviceberries are smaller than a blueberry but bigger than a current. They have a sweet berry flavor with a just slight hint of tart.
When are serviceberries in season?
Serviceberries ripen in mid to late June. You can pick your own right in the backyard. Act fact they are equally popular with birds.
Serviceberries can be found at some farmer's markets as well.
Good news is that serviceberries are easy to freeze so you can enjoy them all year long.
Are serviceberries safe to eat?
Absolutely! Serviceberries should be cleaned like any wild fruit or vegetable.
How do you use serviceberries in recipes?
Serviceberries can be eaten raw but have a slightly grainy texture that goes away with cooking. You can use them in pretty much any capacity that you would use blueberries or blackberries.
A few ideas:
Pies and galettes
Jams
Ice cream
Muffins and quick breads
Pancakes
They also freeze well. Spread out on a sheet pan. Freeze solid and then transfer to a Ziploc bag.
What is a galette?
A galette is a free-from rustic pie baked on a flat sheet pan. While the French name is galette, the Italian version is called a crostata.
🧾Ingredients
Other than the serviceberries, all the ingredients in this serviceberry galette are common pantry and refrigerator basics.
Grain-Free Crust (Gluten and Dairy Free)
- Almond flour
- Tapioca starch- Also called tapioca flour, you can use arrowroot starch as a 1 to 1 replacement.
- Xanthan gum- This is optional but helps with rolling out the dough. Xanthan gum can mimic the gluten that is missing from this crust.
- Sugar- I typically use coconut sugar but maple syrup, agave, granulated sugar, and honey all work.
- Vegan butter- Any vegan or dairy-free butter works. And yes you can use regular butter as well. Just make sure it is ice cold.
- Egg- You need one for the crust and one for the egg wash.
- Salt
Serviceberry Filling
- Serviceberries- Fresh and frozen berries both work in this recipe. Any frozen berries should be partially thawed before baking.
- Lemon- One fresh lemon, both zest, and juice. In a pinch, a little bottled lemon juice will work.
- Sugar- Same substitutions apply, I typically use coconut sugar in the filling as well.
- Tapioca starch
- Vanilla extract- Powder vanilla and vanilla paste work as well.
⏲️Instructions
Grain-Free Crust
The grain-free crust, like all gluten-free doughs, will be a little sticky. Follow the directions and all will be well.
To make the pie dough you can use a food processor with the plastic dough blade or a mixing bowl with either your hands or a pastry blender.
To start we combine all the dry ingredients in the food processor. Pulse to incorporate all dry ingredients and break up any chunks in the almond flour. Add the butter piece by piece, pulse until the texture of a coarse meal.
Add 1 egg and pulse/mix again until the dough comes together. It will be very sticky.
Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You can even leave it overnight!
On a floured surface roll out the rested dough into a 10 to 12-inch round. For flooring, the counter I use coconut flour or more tapioca starch.
If your dough is sticky, which happens on humid summer days, you can place the dough between two sheets of parchment and roll it out that way.
Move the rolled dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment or a Silpat.
Filling
While the dough is resting you can make the filling. Simply combine the ingredients in a bowl and stir until the tapioca starch is no longer visible and all the berries are coated. Feel free to give the berries a little mash to help them get good and bubbly during the back.
Galette Assembly
For a perfectly round galette use a large dinner plate and cut away the dough around it.
Place the filling in the middle of the circle leaving 1/12 to 2 inches around the edge empty. Gently fold the sides up of the dough, creasing as you go.
You can use the parchment or Silpat to help lift the dough.
Beat the remaining egg with a splash of water in a small bowl. Brush the outside edges of the galette with the egg wash. Sprinkle with additional coconut sugar.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, the crust is golden brown, and the filling is slightly bubbly. Turn halfway through.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
We like to top with a powdered sugar and small scoop of dairy-free ice cream.
💭 Variations
This serviceberry galette recipe is very flexible. Here are few of our favorite variations.
Vegan- Substitute the egg for a flax egg. You can make a flax egg by combining one tablespoon ground flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water. For the egg wash, brush a little melted coconut oil on the crust.
Pie Filling- To make a more traditional pie filling. Combine all the filling ingredients in a small pan. Mash the berries and then bring to a boil over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool the mixture to room temperature before adding to the tart.
Balsamic and Basil- A sophisticated and elegant upgrade to this rustic tart. Skip the vanilla and add 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and ¼ teaspoon dried basil. Top with fresh chopped basil for serving.
Mixed Berry- This recipe works with any berry. When we don't have enough serviceberries, we like to mix with raspberries and blueberries. Yum!
🍦Summer Desserts
We hope you enjoyed this galette recipe. But after the serviceberries are gone here are a few recipes we can enjoy all summer long. All gluten and dairy free!
📖 Recipe
Serviceberry Galette
Equipment
Ingredients
Grain-Free Crust
- 1¼ cups almond flour
- ½ cup tapioca starch plus more for dusting
- ¾ tsp xanthan gum optional but helps with rolling
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 6 tbsp vegan butter cold
- 1 egg
Filling
- 14 oz serviceberries
- ½ lemon juiced and zest
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Egg Wash
Instructions
Grain-Free Crust
- Combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, sugar, and salt in a food processor (with dough attachment, not the metal blade), pulse 3 times to incorporate all dry ingredients. Add the butter piece by piece, pulse until the texture of a coarse meal. The butter should be smaller than pea-size. Alternatively, you could use a mixing bowl and a pastry blender or your hands.
- Add 1 egg and pulse/mix again until the dough comes together. It will be very sticky.
- Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Filling and Assembly
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with a Silpat or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the serviceberries, lemon zest and juice, sugar, vanilla extract, and tapioca starch. Toss until coated and all the dry ingredients are moistened. Give the berries a gentle mash to break up a few of them.
- On a floured surface roll out the crust into a 10 to 12-inch round. Move to the baking sheet.
- Place the filling in the middle of the circle leaving 1/12 to 2 inches around the edge empty.
- Gently fold the sides up of the dough, creasing as you go. Use the parchment or Silpat to help lift the dough.
- Beat the remaining egg with a splash of water in a small bowl. Brush the outside edges of the galette with the egg wash. Sprinkle with additional coconut sugar.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, the crust is golden brown, and the filling is slightly bubbly. Turn halfway through. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- If the dough is too sticky to roll try rolling it out between two sheets of parchment paper. See post for photo detail.
- Check the galette around 20 minutes and tent with foil if the crust is browning too quickly.
Sarah says
Used up the last of our frozen serviceberries to make this. Disappointed that I have to wait until June to make it again. So delicious!