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.

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A Crisp or a crumble – do you know the difference? 

I actually pondered first about what to call this recipe. A crisp or a crumble? In France, I grew up preparing and eating “crumbles” – and that was the only name I ever knew. I have always loved the combination of soft fruit filling against the crunch of the topping. This dessert is very popular in France, and I remember making it very often during my University years as it’s simple, affordable and always pleases your company.

When moving to Canada, I started to hear about “crisps” and “crumbles”, and assumed these were basically two different words for the same dessert. But as I did more research I learned that “crumble” designates a dessert made of fruit filling topped with a crumble of flour, sugar and butter. While a “crisp” is topped with a crumble of flour, sugar, butter and oats.

So, if like me you didn’t know the difference, now you know!

The Recipe

This Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp is one of the simplest recipes that came out of my kitchen in a while. I love how it’s quick to make, simple and doesn’t need to look perfect. I’d even say the more rustic it looks, the better!

The filling is a great way to marry rhubarb and strawberries, which are two star produces of Spring and early Summer. Choose crisp, vibrant-colored rhubarb stalks and ripe strawberries. For the topping, the use of oats, walnuts and plenty of butter guarantees a crisp topping to create a scrumptious contrast with the tender, juicy filling.

Cooking notes:

• Make sure you rinse the strawberries and rhubarb thoroughly under cold water and pat them dry delicately before you start.
• The rhubarb needs to sit for at least 15 minutes in sugar before combining it with the strawberries. This initial step is essential – do not skip it! It will cut some of the tartness of the rhubarb and it will also allow the rhubarb to render some juices, to avoid having a liquidy fruit filling once cooked.
• Likewise, do not get tempted to add more strawberries, or you will end up with a mushy/liquidy fruit filling.
• I often use the oats that I have on hand, which are instant oats or rolled oats – and I think they both work great here. However, avoid steel cut oats.
• I love walnuts in this crisp topping. The taste and texture pairs perfectly with the strawberry rhubarb filling. Pecans would work perfectly too (1/4 cup)

I hope you enjoy this Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp as much as I do!
Any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. 

You may also like:

• Raspberry Jam Swiss Roll
• Raspberry Jam-Filled Sable Sandwiches
• Spiced Berry Jalousie Tart
• Lemon Poppy Seed French Yogurt Loaf

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Print Recipe

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

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 7 voted )

Ingredients

For the filling:

1lb (0.45kg) rhubarb, sliced in ½ inch thick pieces (ends removed, no leaves)
1lb (0.45kg) strawberries, hulled and quartered
½ cup (100g) white sugar
2 tbsp (15g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the crisp topping:
¾ cup (95g)  all-purpose flour
¼ (50g) brown sugar
¼ (50g) white sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp fresh grated nutmeg
¾ cup (75g) oats (rolled or instant)
6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
¼ cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Instructions

Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.

Pre-heat your oven to 350F (180C)

For the filling:

Combine the rhubarb slices with ¼ cup (50g) sugar in a bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes, so the rhubarb renders some juice.

In the meantime, in another bowl, combine the strawberries, ¼ cup (50g) sugar, flour and vanilla extract. Transfer the rhubarb into the bowl of strawberries, using a slotted spoon so all the juice remains in the bowl.  Carefully toss everything until evenly coated. Transfer the fruit mixture to an ungreased 2-quart baking dish.

For the crisp topping:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and oats. Add the cubed butter and mix the ingredients together using your hands (rub between your palms) until you get a crumbly, sandy texture and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the chopped walnuts and toss to combine.

Sprinkle the topping evenly atop the fruit mixture. Do not pack it down.

Bake for 45 minutes, until the topping is golden and the mixture is bubbly.

Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.  

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench  and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench.  Bon Appetit! 

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The post Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp appeared first on Pardon Your French.

I hope you enjoy this Rhubarb Tatin Cake as much as I do…

Bon appétit!

Rhubarb Tatin Cake

Print Recipe

Serves: 9 Prep Time: 1 Hour 1/2 Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.5/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

For the Rhubarb Topping:
350 g fresh rhubarb
1 cup caster sugar
Juice of ½ lemon
1 vanilla bean, seeds removed and reserved.

For the Cake:
The seeds of the vanilla bean
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup unsalted butter , softened
1/3 cup each granulated sugar and packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

Instructions

For the rhubarb:

Cut off the ends of your rhubarb. Cut the rhubarb into 2 ½ inch-long batons.

Put the vanilla pod, sugar, lemon juice and 300ml water (just to cover the rhubarb) in a shallow pot and set over low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the rhubarb batons and simmer for 5 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in the syrup for 1 hour, at least, or up to a night. Note: This step is very important- if your rhubarb doesn’t sit long enough in the syrup, it will be too sour. The rhubarb batons should be perfectly sweet and tender, but will still hold their shape.

For the Cake: 

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F . Grease an 8-inch square cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper. 

Arrange the rhubarb batons horizontally and vertically in the bottom of the pan, to create a grid of 9 alternating squares of 6 or 7 strips each. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until white and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, the sour cream, vanilla seeds and lemon zest.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, alternately with milk ( making 2 additions of flour mixture and 1 of milk). 

Scrape the batter over the rhubarb batons, smoothing the batter to the edges of the pan, if needed.

Bake in the oven until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Invert onto serving plate, and peel off the parchment paper very carefully. Let cool completely. 

The post Simple Rhubarb Tatin Cake appeared first on Pardon Your French.