Rhubarb and Raspberry Galette
This seasonal tart was made from the rhubarb that I grew in my North Carolina garden. Traditionally, rhubarb does better in cooler zones, but somehow we manage to get it to grow here. My stalks aren’t the large hardy version that you may see in your grocery store, but the flavor is great. This perennial has beautiful large fan-like leaves, but don’t eat the leaves as they are considered poisonous. I love the fact that rhubarb is so seasonal. When the spring is over, so then are the rhubarb desserts. We enjoy this fleeting vegetable (not actually a fruit) while we can.
Rhubarb picked for the galette.
My perennial rhubarb plant
Rhubarb and Raspberry Galette
4 cups sliced rhubarb (about 1¼ pounds)
10 ounces fresh raspberries (about 1½ pints) washed and dried
¼ cup cornstarch
⅔ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons orange zest
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 egg white, beaten
1 tablespoon Turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)
1 dough disk from the Pâte Sucrée recipe below
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water and set aside. In a large saucepan combine the rhubarb, raspberries, sugar, zest and juice. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, bring to boil, lower heat simmer for 2 more minutes. Take off heat and let cool down. Refrigerate mixture for an hour to cool.
Roll the dough out to a 13" circle. Place the flat round dough on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Pour the rhubarb and raspberry mixture onto the center of the dough and spread out leaving about a 2" border. Fold over the edges of the dough (making 5 folds or more, one fold at a time) and pressing lightly on the corners to gently seal the tart. Brush the beaten egg white on the 2" dough border and then sprinkle with the Turbinado sugar. Bake for 30 -35 minutes until golden crust. Let cool before serving.
Pâte Sucrée - Basic Sweet Pastry Dough
I use this basic dough recipe for most of my dessert tarts. This recipe makes dough for 2 tarts. The dough freezes well so it is nice to have it on hand for easy use. Defrost the dough in the refrigerator. The key to a successful and flakey crust is to work quickly and keep the dough cold. You want the butter to remain in tiny pieces throughout the dough for a flakey crust.
300 grams flour (2 cups)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar
14 tablespoons unsalted butter - chopped
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons ice water
In a food processor add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse until combined. Add the chopped butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water and pulse until the dough just comes together.
Put the dough onto a floured surface and make into a large mound and cut in half with a pastry scraper. I like to weigh the halves so that they are equal. Put each half onto a square of wax paper and form into a disk. Wrap with the paper and chill for at least one hour.
If you are using the dough for a later date, wrap in foil and freeze. Let dough defrost in the refrigerator before use.