Individual apple galettes flavored with mahlepi and cardamom

Buttery, crumbly, flaky pastry, aromatic and juicy filling

Published originally on my blog on 30 March 2016

I made these apple galettes twice in one week. Their flavor, aromas and texture was so inviting and delicious we couldn’t restrain from wolfing them down.

The reason they were this good is not least due to the fact that I added two of my favorite spices to the pastry; mahlepi and cardamom.

The smell and flavor of mahlepi always reminds me of tsoureki, the traditional Greek Easter bread, and longing to eat it sooner than 1 May (Greek Orthodox Easter day), I thought about using it in a different kind of pastry, something I have never tried adding it to before, something totally not Greek, a galette.

I filled the pastry with apples that I tossed with cinnamon, lemon juice and demerara sugar and the combination with the flavors of the pastry was a match made in heaven.

The pastry is buttery, crumbly and flaky with the distinctive, warm flavor of mahlepi and cardamom while the apple filling is sweet, juicy and aromatic with the demerara sugar giving its caramel flavor and aroma.

Served just as they are (the way I prefer them), with a sprinkling of icing sugar (the way S prefers them) or with some billowy, freshly whipped cream on top (the way our friends liked them), they are scrumptious and very difficult to resist.

Individual apple galettes flavored with mahlepi and cardamom

I used Royal Gala apples that were sweet and crispy. If you can’t find them, use any other firm and sweet red apple. It goes without saying that the quality and flavor of the fruit makes all the difference.

Mahlepi (you may know it as mahleb) is a highly aromatic spice made from the seeds of wild cherry trees of the Mediterranean. You can see a photo of it in this post.

Use whole mahlepi seeds to grind yourself. Don’t use the already ground ones. They’re less flavorful and not as aromatic as the whole spice. The same applies for the cardamom.