I grew up watching Julia Child reruns at my grandparents’ house. I still remember her always cautioning viewers to add “just a little speck” of nutmeg because “you don’t want people to taste it and say ‘ooh, nutmeg!'” In one episode, she even holds a nutmeg grater over a big pot of something and lightly taps the crank with one finger, like she’s trying to defuse a bomb. The same principle applies to this dreamy fig galette.

The figs are the star here, and everything else (rosewater, cinnamon, cardamom) is just backup vocals. You shouldn’t bite into it and think “ooh rosewater!” If you’re someone who usually doubles the garlic or adds a “dash” or cinnamon that’s really a tablespoon or two, trust me on this one and try it as written. Or even omit the rosewater and cardamom. You might be surprised by how much a quiet ingredient like figs can still sparkle.

What makes this fig galette so great (besides the figs themselves)

1. It’s not too sweet. Between the figs and a little honey, you end up using just a dash of sweet stuff. This galette is rich and naturally sweet, but not syrupy or over-the-top.
2. The crust is magic. Adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s cream cheese crust, this dough is both flaky and forgiving. You just spin it in the food processor, but here’s the trick: pulse the butter in first and then add the cream cheese. Bonus: the recipe divides the cream cheese between the filling and the dough, so you end up using 1 brick total and won’t be left with any weird odds and ends.
3. It’s easier (and prettier) than pie: Galettes are charmingly rustic by nature, and they actually look better when you don’t fuss over them too much. A little uneven? Great? A rough edge here and there? Even better. It’s the kind of dessert that rewards casual effort with impressive results.
4. It’s fig season! (if you’re reading this when I published it or during the summer and early fall months). Fresh figs don’t last forever, and right now they’re perfect. and this galette is one of the best ways to use them while they’re at their best.

Dreamy Fig Galette

Print Recipe

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4.7 from 3 reviews

crust adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s cream cheese crust
food styling inspiration from Helen Goh and Yotam Ottolenghi

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours
• Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

For the cream cheese crust:

• 1 1/3 cups [165 g] all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup [110 g] cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
• 3 ounces [85 g] cold cream cheese, sliced into a few pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (teaspoons! not tablespoons!) cold apple cider vinegar

For the cream cheese filling:

• 5 ounces [142 g] room temperature cream cheese
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon rosewater** (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch cardamom (optional)

To assemble the galette:

• cream cheese crust dough (above)
• cream cheese filling (above)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey (divided)
• 12 ounces 1/4-inch-sliced fresh figs
• 1/4 teaspoon rosewater (optional)
• 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon water
• cinnamon for sprinkling

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Instructions

1. Make the cream cheese crust: Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and butter in a food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse a few times just until the butter breaks down into smaller pieces (there should still be many lumps, but no whole pieces). Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. Add the cream cheese and pulse until everything is incorporated, but still a bit lumpy. Add the water* and apple cider vinegar, and pulse until the mixture comes together into a ball. Mold the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for about 45 minutes (I do this by putting the shaggy dough ball in plastic wrap, and then squeezing the plastic wrap to put pressure on it to turn it into a ball, and then I flatten it into a disc while it’s still wrapped).
3. Make the cream cheese filling: Whisk together the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, salt, rosewater, cinnamon, and cardamom until the mixture is completely smooth.
4. Assemble and bake the galette: Flour the counter, and roll out the dough to about 12 to 14 inches in diameter (flour it as you go, and keep rotating to make it an even circle). Move it to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the center of the dough, leaving a couple inches of crust around the edges. Sprinkle the cream cheese evenly with the chopped walnuts, then drizzle it with 1 tablespoon of the honey. Arrange the figs over the surface, sprinkle them evenly with rosewater, and drizzle with the rest of the honey (1/2 tablespoon). Fold one side of the galette toward the center (the fold should happen at the point where the filling ends). Repeat with the remaining sides, and finish by tucking the final side under the first side.
6. Preheat the oven to 400° F, and throw the galette into the freezer until the oven is ready (about 10 to 15 minutes). This will help the galette hold its shape.
7. Brush the dough with egg wash, and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown, and the figs have caramelized slightly. Let it cool on the parchment for at least 15 minutes before serving (30 minutes to an hour is ideal). Dust with a pinch of extra cinnamon (don’t go overboard), and drizzle with a little extra honey, if desired.

Notes

* If you’re not weighing your ingredients, you should hold back a little bit of the water, and add it gradually, just until the dough ball forms. Or you might need to use a little extra water. But if you’re using an accurate scale, you should be able to just add everything at once, and trust that it’ll come together just fine.

** The rosewater, cinnamon, and cardamom are here to highlight the flavor of the figs. They make the figs taste even figgier, without stealing the spotlight. But if you want to add extra cinnamon, or even a tiny bit extra rosewater or cardamom, it’ll still be delicious, but it will become a cinnamon fig galette. Careful not to overdo it with the rosewater and cardamom.