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Cherry Bakewell Galette is soft, almondy and bursting with fresh, juicy fruit. Oh, and it is lower in carbohydrates than the original bakewell tart, but just as delicious.

Cherries are without doubt my favourite fruit. Of course I adore these crisp and juicy crimson fruits as they are: A whole punnet can disappear before I’ve even unpacked the groceries. But sometimes it’s fun to pop them in desserts and salads. So, for this month of August, when Scottish cherries are plentiful, I’m doing both. 

This cherry bakewell galette is my unfussy and lower-carbohydrate nod to the classic bakewell tart. It is both more rustic and more subtle than the latter. In my more modern iteration sweetness is kept to a minimum, letting real cherries rather than jam take centre stage. Every mouthful brings a delicious pop of cherry sweetness.

A take on a classic

A traditional bakewell tart is a completely different thing to what you see here. A trad one has a crisp shortcrust base beneath layers of jam and frangipane – a thick, sweet almond cream. And a cherry bakewell is usually a more petite, two-bite version, but covered in fondant and topped with a glace cherry. If you are like me, this kind of sweet is just far too sweet.  

My cherry bakewell galette recipe came off the back of a craving. I was kindly asked by the exceptional Scottish brand, Scotty Brand, to create a recipe for a new product line of theirs – cherries. At first it was going to be something savoury, but I had been hankering for a sweet treat, so happily plumped for this cherry studded galette. It was a delight to test, I can tell you!

Scotty Brand cherries

Up until about a month ago on Twitter I didn’t know that we grow cherries in Scotland. Soft fruits, yes. Scottish soft fruits are utterly heavenly. The best on the planet. Our long summer days, occasional rain (!) and cool nights make for extraordinary soft fruit. But I saw a photo on Twitter of a friend’s Edinburgh cherry tree and I was like, “What!! We grow cherries??” And she sent a snap of a bowl of gloriously red shiny fruits in a bowl.

Serendipitously, Scotty Brand emailed the next week about their own cherries. I can’t remember ever replying so quickly to an email. Soon I was in possession of several punnets of raspberries, strawberries, Ayrshire new potatoes and cherries. Suffice it to say, these didn’t last long in my kitchen! I’ve long been a fan of their soft fruits and potatoes. They are really the best.

And these cherries are no exception. 

Cherries in Scotland – a new and growing market

Scotty Brand cherries are a variety called Sweetheart, which produces large, sweet and crunchy fruit. They are grown for the company by Peter Marshall & Co at West Jordanstone Farm and Muirton Farm, close to Alyth, Perthshire – about an hour and a half up the road from me. The incredibly fertile lands of Perthshire, combined with the long summer days in Scotland, are perfect growing conditions for a range of produce. 

The Scottish cherry growing season is perfectly timed to complement the global market. A slightly colder climate in Scotland means Scottish cherries are ready from late July, slightly later than the English season which usually finishes in August, and before other global cherry markets start to produce in great volumes. I’ve tasted cherries from many countries in my years and, hand on heart, these are the best we’ve eaten. Just so incredibly crisp, juicy, sweet, with an intensely cherry taste and aroma. An exceptional fruit. 

Find Scotty Brand cherries exclusively at Asda stores.

Cherry nutrition

As for their nutrients, they are quite the powerhouse. High in vitamin C, just one cup – about 21 cherries – will give you 15% of your daily needs for only about 100 calories (not that we should mind calories that much). They are also a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols, helping the body to fight inflammation and decrease oxidative stress. Specifically, studies indicate that cherries of all kinds may help with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, exercise recovery, blood pressure, arthritis and sleep. 

What you need to make cherry bakewell galette

Almond flour

Butter

Egg yolk

Xanthan gum or cornflour (xanthan gum is great for low-carb bakes)

Granulated erythritol or granulated sugar

Coconut flour – this helps stabilise the dough

Scotty Brand cherries – pitted

Lemon juice

Almond extract

Making the cherry galette

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While the recipe is straight-forward to make, the handling of the dough is very different to a flour-based dough. So don’t be alarmed. It feels outwardly kind of oily, and will roll out with absolutely no give at all. You are more or less just pressing it out. And it will crack at the edges. These craggy bits can be neatened up with a knife or pinched closed if you wish. You can see from my images that I didn’t bother with that. Regardless of the cracks and imperfections, it is a cracking thing to bake and eat. So don’t be scared to don an apron – or pinny, as we say up here in Scotland – and grab your rolling pin. This is a great dessert for the whole family.

Other cherry recipes on Food To Glow

Cherry and Cream Cheese Phyllo Hand Pies (above)

Probiotic Oat Pancakes with Cherry Sauce

 Thai Fruit Salad with Cherries

Cherry, Pistachio and Pea Shoot Salad with Peach Vinaigrette

Bircher-Style Granola with Berry-Cherry Compote

And I will have a savoury, protein-packed salad with cherries very soon.

Product links

Amazon UK affiliate links for low-carb products that are mentioned above. Buying on these links costs you no extra money and helps with the cost of running Food To Glow. Thanks so much. 🙂

Kirkland Signature Almond Flour Blanched California Superfine, 3 Pound (Pack of 1)

100% Natural Erythritol 1 Kg (2.2 lb) Granulated ZERO Calorie Sugar Replacement

Xanthan Gum (125g Compostable Pouch) by NKD Living

The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Flour, 500 g

Steenbergs Natural Almond Extract 100ml