Why Did The Blackberry Galette Crust Break Into Pieces?

Our answer

Nigella's Blackberry Galette (from HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS) is a free form tart that has a crust made from a combination of plain (all-purpose) flour and polenta. If the crust is breaking up as it is rolled out then it is likely that it needed slightly more water to help to bind it. You have added enough water to the dough when you squeeze a little bit of the dough between your finger and thumb and it holds together easily. Also, if the dough has been completely chilled (for example, overnight) then it may be a bit too cold to roll out straight away and you may need to let it stand out of the fridge for 15-20 minutes to let it soften slightly before you roll out. It may also help to roll the dough in between two pieces of baking parchment (parchment paper) as the polenta makes the dough slightly less elastic than a regular pie crust. You could use vanilla sugar in the crust or add a few drops of vanilla extract if you like.

If you had difficulty rolling out the dough then it is possible that the tart crust was sligtly smaller that it should have been. We would aim for a thin circle about 18cm (7 inches) in diameter. The number of portions is quite subjective, but the combination of crème fraîche and blackberries is quite rich so the tart should serve at least 4.