Strawberry Rhubarb Galette

Easier than pie but just as delicious, this Strawberry Rhubarb Galette features a flaky all-butter crust, folded in a free form manner over a sweet filling of ripe strawberries and tangy rhubarb. It is an uncomplicated dessert that doesn’t require much time to assemble nor does it require a pie dish. It’s the perfect kind of laid-back dessert to throw together in a pinch, when strawberries and rhubarb are bountiful and days are getting sunnier.

The ideal crust for a Galette: a “Pâte Brisée”.

For making a galette, or a “Tarte Rustique” as we call it in France, I find a Pâte Brisée is the best candidate. A “Pâte Brisée” is the French version of a standard pie crust, made with a generous amount of butter. In comparison to a “Pâte Sucrée” (traditionally used for a French Lemon Tart) or a “Pâte Sablée” (traditionally used for a French Frangipane Apricot Tart), a Pâte Brisée is made with only flour, butter and water – no sugar and no eggs. You can use a Pâte Brisée for both sweet and savory pies, tarts, or galettes. 

Because the flour and butter are mixed with water (water encouraging the gluten development in the flour), a “Pâte Brisée is sturdier and less sandy – which is what you want to shape galettes easily, and to avoid having the edges crumble when you fold them over the fruits. That said, it is essential not to overmix the dough or your crust will end up too tough once baked. Stop mixing when the dough just comes together.  

To sum it up, I love to use a Pâte Brisée for making galettes, as it is deliciously buttery yet easy to work with and very forgiving. The crust is quickly chilled for 20 minutes (for the butter to chill). It is then rolled out and filled with fresh fruits, before the edges are folded over in a free form manner.

The Strawberry-Rhubarb filling

There is a fleeting window in late Spring, when the first strawberries emerge and rhubarb is still lingering around – and they make for the perfect combo. The tanginess of rhubarb marries perfectly with the sweetness of ripe strawberries. This combo also creates a vibrant pink color that makes any dessert look pretty.

Choose crisp, vibrant-colored rhubarb stalks and ripe strawberries. You then add a splash of vanilla extract, sugar and cornstarch to create a deliciously sweet and jammy filling that contrasts well against the crisp buttery crust.

Cooking notes (part 1): 

• It is essential to use cold butter and ice cold water to make the dough. Cold butter – not room temperature – will distribute into the flour without softening. And ice-cold water will bind the ingredients together without melting the butter. This ensure little bits of butter are still present in the dough once rolled out, which makes for a most tender baked Pâte Brisée. 
• The Pâte Brisée needs to chilled at least 20-30 minutes before being rolled out. If the dough is too cold and firm when trying to roll it out, let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes so it warms slightly, to become easier to roll out.
• If the edges of the dough crack a bit when you fold them over the fruit, don’t fret. You can simply wet your fingers under lukewarm water and “rub” the cracks to bind the dough back together. 
• Make sure you rinse the strawberries and rhubarb thoroughly under cold water and pat them dry delicately before you start.

Cooking notes (part 2): 

• It could be tempting to reduce the amount of sugar used for the fruit filling. However, I do not recommend doing so, as the rhubarb will remain too tangy. With less sugar, you also won’t get a nice jammy consistency. The sugar is essential to cut through the tanginess of the rhubarb and ensure your filling won’t be too runny.
• Likewise, do not be tempted to add more strawberries, or you will end up with a mushy/liquidy fruit filling. I find the ratio of 12 oz rhubarb with 10 oz of strawberries to be just right.
• When placing the filling in the middle of the crust, make sure you leave a 2-inch border all around. This way you will be able to easily fold the edges over the filling later. Likewise, scatter the strawberries and rhubarb in one single even layer, so they bake evenly too. 
• For a nut-free version of this Strawberry Rhubarb Galette, you can replace the ground almond with all-purpose flour or rolled oats.

I hope you’ll love this Strawberry Rhubarb Galette as much as I do! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment. 

You may also like: 

• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp 
• Classic French Strawberry Tart (Tarte aux Fraises) 
• Strawberry Flaugnarde
• Classic French Cherry Clafoutis
• Raspberry Pistachio Tart 

Strawberry Rhubarb Galette

Print Recipe

Serves: 8 people Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.9/5

( 8 voted )

Ingredients

For the Pâte Brisée :
1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (170g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
¼ cup to 1/3 cup (50ml to 78ml) ice water

Filling base:
4 tbsp (24g) ground almonds

Filling:
2 3/4 cups (340g/12oz) rhubarb, cut into ¾" pieces
2 cups (300g/10 oz) strawberries, hulled & thickly sliced
2 tbsp (15g) cornstarch
1/3 cup (65g) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp (15ml) milk, for brushing
Optional: 2 tbsp Strawberry jam

Instructions

Make sure you read my cooking notes (above) before you start.

Step 1 – Prepare the Pâte Brisée. Mix the flour, salt and butter with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together into a rough ball (about 1/4 cup of water); do not over-mix or your crust will end up tough. Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly - but try to keep the water to a minimum. Too much water will also make your crust tough. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and chill for about 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF (205ºC) with a rack in the middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2 – 20 minutes later, take the dough out of the fridge. Transfer it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to circle of 16-inch (40cm) in diameter (about 1/6 inch thick). Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to the parchment lined baking sheet. Spread the ground almond onto the dough, leaving a 2 inch (5cm) border around the edge. This mix will absorb the juice of the fruits when baking and prevent the crust from getting soggy. 

Step 3 - In large bowl, combine the rhubarb (cut), strawberries (sliced), cornstarch, sugar and vanilla extract. Toss together gently until evenly coated and the sugar and cornstarch are “wet”.

Step 4 – Arrange the strawberry rhubarb mix on top of the dough, still leaving a 2 inch (5cm) border around the edges. Fold the edges of the dough up over the fruits to create a 1 ½ (3.8cm) inch border. Whisk egg yolk and milk in a small bowl and brush this egg wash onto the folded border.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the edges look dry and golden.

Optional: Warm up some strawberries in a microwave for 15 or so seconds and pass it through a fine mesh strainer if needed (to discard of fruit chunks). Gently brush the jam over the fruits for a glistening finish.

Let the galette cool for 30 minutes before transferring it onto a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or chilled.

The Pâte Brisée recipe is based on Jacques Pépin’s Plum Galette recipe.