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Recipe

French-Inspired Christmas Mushroom Chestnut Galette

A rustic mushroom and chestnut galette brings savory flavor to Christmas lunch. Golden pastry, thyme and Gruyere frame a rich, well-browned filling.

French-Inspired Christmas Mushroom Chestnut Galette
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, plus a little for rolling
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, for the dough
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 4–5 tablespoons (60–75 ml) ice water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion (150 g), thinly sliced
  • 1 pound (450 g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 5 ounces (140 g) ready-cooked peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, for the filling
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3/4 cup (75 g) grated Gruyere cheese
  • 1 large egg, beaten, for brushing

Instructions

  1. Whisk the flour and dough salt in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture has pea-size pieces. Stir in 4 tablespoons of ice water, adding the fifth only if the dough will not hold when squeezed. Form a disk, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 7–8 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring, until their released liquid has evaporated and the edges begin to brown. Work in batches if your pan is crowded.
  3. Add the garlic, thyme, chestnuts, filling salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the Dijon. Spread the filling on a plate and let it cool for at least 10 minutes so it will not melt the pastry butter.
  4. Heat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment into a roughly 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Slide the parchment onto a sturdy baking sheet.
  5. Scatter half the Gruyere over the pastry, leaving a 2-inch border. Spread the cooled filling over the cheese and scatter the remaining cheese on top. Fold the border over the filling in overlapping pleats, leaving the center open.
  6. Brush the exposed pastry with a thin coating of beaten egg; not all the egg will be needed. Bake on a lower-middle oven rack for 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and the underside feels firm when carefully lifted with a spatula.
  7. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting into six wedges. A short rest lets the cheese settle and makes the slices easier to lift.

This free-form tart pairs browned mushrooms with sweet cooked chestnuts and a little Gruyere. Folded pastry edges make it look generous and festive without requiring a tart tin. Serve a slice for Christmas lunch with a salad of your choice.

The recipe uses French-inspired flavors in an original holiday galette. The key is cooking moisture out of the mushrooms before assembling: a dry, cooled filling helps the pastry bake rather than steam.

Chestnuts and pastry

Use packaged cooked peeled chestnuts, not raw chestnuts or water chestnuts. Keep the dough cold; if it becomes soft while rolling, refrigerate the assembled galette for 10 minutes before baking.

Make ahead

Refrigerate the dough and cooked filling separately for up to a day. Assemble just before baking. Refrigerate leftovers promptly; reheat on a baking sheet so the base can crisp again.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use store-bought pastry?

Yes. Use enough unsweetened pie dough for a 12-inch circle and follow its handling directions. Puff pastry behaves differently and is not a direct match for this timing.

Why is the bottom soft?

Wet or warm filling, a pale bake or a crowded mushroom pan can all contribute. Evaporate the mushroom liquid fully, cool the filling and bake until the base is golden.

Nutrition notes

Nutrition is an approximate editorial estimate per serving, not a laboratory analysis. Brands, substitutions and portion sizes change the values. These original recipe drafts have not been kitchen-tested; use the stated doneness checks as well as timing.

Estimate includes all pastry, filling and cheese plus about half the beaten egg used as wash. Salad or other accompaniments are not included.

Allergens: Wheat; Milk; Eggs; Mustard; Chestnuts; check individual allergy needs. Check all product labels.

Food storage and handling

Refrigerate perishable leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C. Keep at 40°F / 4°C or colder, use within 3–4 days and reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F / 74°C. Follow any shorter storage guidance given in the recipe.

Illustrative recipe image; presentation may vary. This is not a photograph of a kitchen test.

Per serving

Nutrition facts

Serving size: One-sixth of the galette (estimated nutrition)

Calories
410
Total fat
25 g
Saturated fat
14 g
Cholesterol
85 mg
Sodium
340 mg
Total carbohydrate
38 g
Dietary fiber
4 g
Total sugars
5 g
Protein
11 g

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