Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette Recipe

This pear and blueberry galette is a rustic, free-form tart with crisp, buttery pastry and a juicy fruit filling that tastes bright, buttery, and gently spiced. The pears bake into soft slices, the blueberries burst into a jammy sauce, and the folded crust turns golden and flaky around the edges. It is simpler than a pie because there is no tin to line, so it feels impressive without being fussy. Plan for about 1 hour 30 minutes total, including a short chill for the pastry.

Ingredients

For the sweet shortcrust pastry

• 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• Pinch of fine salt
• 125g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3 to 4 tbsp cold water

For the pear and blueberry filling

• 3 medium pears (about 450 to 500g), ripe but firm
• 150g blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 60g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tbsp ground almonds (or fine breadcrumbs)

For finishing

• 1 large egg, beaten (for glazing)
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar (for sprinkling)
• Optional: 2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed (for glazing the fruit)

How to Make Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette Recipe

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Put a large baking tray in the oven to heat up, and line a separate sheet of baking parchment ready for the galette.
• Make the pastry: Tip the flour, icing sugar, and salt into a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until you have a breadcrumb texture with a few larger flakes of butter still visible for flakiness.
• Bring it together: Stir in the egg yolk, then add cold water a tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough starts to clump. Gather into a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes so it rolls cleanly.
• Prep the fruit filling: Peel the pears, then quarter, core, and slice into thin wedges. In a bowl, toss the pear slices and blueberries with caster sugar, cornflour, vanilla, lemon juice, and cinnamon (if using) until everything is lightly coated.
• Roll the pastry: On lightly floured baking parchment, roll the chilled pastry into a rough circle about 30cm wide. Do not worry about perfect edges since the whole point is a rustic finish.
• Assemble: Sprinkle the ground almonds over the centre of the pastry, leaving a 4 to 5cm border. Spoon the fruit into the centre and spread it out gently, keeping that border clear. Fold the pastry edge up and over the fruit, pleating as you go.
• Glaze and sugar: Brush the folded pastry with beaten egg, then sprinkle with demerara sugar for crunch and shine. If the dough feels very soft, chill the assembled galette for 10 minutes before baking.
• Bake: Slide the galette (still on its parchment) onto the hot baking tray. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the fruit juices are bubbling and thickened.
• Cool: Leave the galette on the tray for 15 minutes. This cooling time is not optional, as it helps the filling set so it slices neatly instead of running.
• Finish and serve: If you like a glossy finish, brush the warm fruit with a little warmed apricot jam. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

How do I stop my galette base from going soggy?

Two things help the most: a spoonful of ground almonds under the fruit, and baking on a properly hot tray. Also slice the pears fairly thin so they bake through without releasing too much liquid.

Why is my pastry cracking when I fold it?

That usually means the dough is too cold or too dry. Let it sit at room temperature for 3 to 5 minutes, then fold again. If it feels dry when mixing, add a tiny splash more cold water next time.

Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes. Add them straight from frozen so they do not bleed too much into the pears while you assemble. You may need an extra 5 minutes in the oven to fully bubble and thicken the juices.

How do I know the filling has thickened properly?

Look for clear signs: the juices should be bubbling in the centre and around the blueberries, and the liquid should look glossy rather than watery. If the crust is golden but the filling is still runny, give it another 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

• Warm with vanilla ice cream
• With lightly sweetened whipped cream or crème fraîche
• With hot custard for a classic pudding feel
• Alongside a cup of strong tea or coffee

Storage

Room temperature

Keep the galette loosely covered for up to 1 day. If your kitchen is warm, move it to the fridge sooner to keep the fruit fresh.

Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For the best texture, reheat slices in a 160°C oven for 8 to 10 minutes to crisp the pastry again.

Freezing

Freeze baked, cooled slices (or the whole galette) well wrapped for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then warm in the oven at 160°C until the pastry is crisp and the centre is hot.

Nutrition

• Calories: 330 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 42g
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated fat: 9g
• Sodium: 180mg

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on ingredients and portion size.

FAQs

Mary Berry Pear and Blueberry Galette Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

slices

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

90

minutes

Calories

330

kcal

1

hour 

10

minutes

A rustic pear and blueberry galette with crisp, buttery pastry, a jammy fruit centre, and golden folded edges. Easier than pie, perfect with cream or ice cream.

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 2 tbsp icing sugar

• Pinch of fine salt

• 125g unsalted butter, cold and cubed

• 1 large egg yolk

• 3–4 tbsp cold water

• 1 tbsp ground almonds (or fine breadcrumbs)

• 3 medium pears (about 450–500g), ripe but firm

• 150g blueberries (fresh or frozen)

• 60g caster sugar

• 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

• 1 large egg, beaten (for glazing)

• 1 tbsp demerara sugar (for sprinkling)

Directions

• Make the pastry: rub the cold butter into the flour, icing sugar, and salt until it looks like fine breadcrumbs (with a few larger flakes). Mix in the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring it together.
• Shape into a disc, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Heat a large baking tray in the oven and line a separate sheet of baking parchment.
• Prepare the fruit: peel, core, and slice the pears. Toss pears and blueberries with caster sugar, cornflour, vanilla, lemon juice, and cinnamon (if using).
• Roll the chilled pastry into a 30cm circle on lightly floured paper. Sprinkle ground almonds in the centre, leaving a 4–5cm border.
• Pile the fruit into the centre, keeping the border clear. Fold the pastry edges up and over the fruit, pleating as you go.
• Brush the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
• Transfer on the parchment to the hot tray and bake for 35–45 minutes until the crust is deep golden and the juices are bubbling.
• Cool on the tray for 15 minutes, then slide onto a rack to cool a little more so the filling sets.
• Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

• If your kitchen is warm, chill the shaped galette for 10 minutes before baking for a neater fold.
• Ground almonds help prevent a soggy base by absorbing fruit juices.
• Frozen blueberries are fine. Use straight from frozen and add 5 minutes to the bake if needed.