Grilled Pineapple, Vanilla Pastry Cream & Rosemary Galette

For the rosemary crust: Combine the flour, sugar, rosemary, and salt in a large bowl. Stir vigorously together with a whisk until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Cut the butter into 1.2 cm (1/2 inch) cubes and sprinkle over the dry ingredients. Using your fingers and hands, first toss the butter in the flour, then smash the butter into thin slivers, breaking them up as you go. Once they have been broken and flattened into small bits the size of peas, add the egg yolks to 118 ml (1/2 cup) water in a glass measuring cup and beat together with a fork. Drizzle the eggy water over the butter and flour. Toss with a fork until the dough starts to come together. If the dough still isn’t forming, add the remaining 1 tablespoon water. Massage the mass with your hands until it forms a cohesive dough. Flatten into a disk about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. When you are ready to proceed, preheat the oven to 191°C (375°F).

For the grilled pineapple: Preheat a grill to high heat. Remove the crown of the pineapple and slice off the prickly skin. Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise and reserve one half for another use. Slice the remaining half lengthwise again, making two long spears. Cut out the tough center core and then grill the pineapple spears. Cook until grill marks form, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip the pineapple spears and repeat. Then flip to the third “rounded” edge and repeat. Let the pineapple cool while you make the filling.

For the vanilla pastry cream: Stir together egg yolks, cornstarch, 30 ml (2 tablespoons) sugar, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until a paste forms. Combine the whole milk and remaining 30 ml (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar in a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk, then add the empty vanilla pod as well. Bring to a boil, then drizzle the hot milk into the egg yolk paste, whisking constantly.

Once all the hot milk has been added, pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in butter and vanilla extract. Press a piece of parchment paper on the surface of the custard and allow the pastry cream to cool for 30 minutes.

For assembly: On a clean surface dusted with flour, roll out the dough into a 38 cm (15 inch) circle. Slip a clean piece of parchment paper under the dough. Spread the vanilla pastry cream out in the middle of the dough, leaving a border about 5 cm (2 inches) all the way around the edge of the dough. Slice the pineapple into 1.3 cm (1/2-inch) thick wedges and arrange on the pastry cream.

Fold the edge of the dough over the pineapple in a circle, “pleating” the dough to make it fold around the fruit. You should have a 5 cm (2 inch) border of dough and an 18 cm (7 inch) circle of exposed pineapple in the center; the whole galette should be about 28 cm (11 inches) in diameter and fit in the center of the parchment paper.

Carefully use the parchment paper to lift and slide the galette onto a 33 x 46 cm (13×18 inch) rimmed baking sheet. Beat together the egg yolk and the water in a small bowl. Brush the top crust (as well as under the pleats of dough to “seal” the dough to itself) with the egg wash, trying not to get any of the egg wash on the parchment paper. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar and bake until the crust is a deep golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheet before slipping the galette onto a serving platter.