This easy rhubarb recipe has a cheater’s version of homemade pastry and a foolproof fruit filling. You can even change out the filling for this strawberry rhubarb galette with any other juicy summer fruit for an easy tart recipe that will satisfy everyone.
Florida is not known for rhubarb. It’s not a crop here. In fact, it’s so rare that there have been years that I’ve actually missed seeing it in the stores. So when I see fresh rhubarb, I buy it. I buy it without even knowing what I’ll make with it. Could be a strawberry rhubarb pie or some other easy rhubarb recipe like this rhubarb sour cocktail. The point is, when I see rhubarb — it’s ON — hence this strawberry rhubarb galette with homemade pastry.
Because I did find fresh rhubarb in the market (not an every day occurrence), I figured it was an occasion — and one that required a homemade pastry. I don’t have any problem with store bought pie crust normally, and I’m sure it would work fine here, but I made the extra effort — and with the help of my food processor, it was hardly any effort at all.
How To Make Homemade Pastry (cheater’s method):
- Add the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
- Add ice cold butter that’s been cut into cubes and pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal (with some larger chunks is ok)
- Add ice water a few spoonfuls at a time, just until the pastry starts to hold together. Do not over process.
- Cut the pastry into four equal portions and lightly form them into discs.
- Wrap each pastry disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- HERE’S THE CHEAT: Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface. Unwrap one disc of pastry and place it in the center of the plastic wrap. Cut another large piece of plastic and place it on top of the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll the pastry out into a 1/4″ round. Turn the dough about 90° after each few rolls and lift the plastic wrap so that it doesn’t stick to the dough and get overworked too much.
- The plastic wrap does 2 things — first, it allows you to roll the dough thin without adding excess flour to the pastry which can make it tough. Second, it won’t stick to your surface (can’t tell you how many times I’ve had pie dough glued to my countertop) and makes cleanup easier.
- Refrigerate the rolled out dough while you continue with the other 3 discs of homemade pastry.
Once the homemade pastry is done, the rest of the steps for this strawberry rhubarb galette are a breeze. Cut the fruit into bite sized pieces and toss in a bowl. Next comes my secret ingredient — one that you should have in your pantry at all times if you enjoy fruit pies, tarts… Instant Clear Jel. This isn’t a sponsored post, I’m just crazy in love with this product. It eliminates the tidal wave of fruit goo that invariably streaks across the baking sheet when you’re baking summer fruit desserts. I mean, it’s still got a juiciness to it, but it’s not watery — there’s a huge difference.
The key is to whisk the Clear Jel with the sugar BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE FRUIT, otherwise it will clump. Then just toss it into the fruit and let it sit for a few minutes. The Instant Clear Jel transforms the macerated fruit juice into a glistening glaze that’s perfect for pies, tarts and galettes.
How To Assemble Strawberry Rhubarb Galettes:
- Lay a piece of chilled pastry on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Mound one quarter of the strawberry rhubarb mixture into the center of the tart.
- Carefully fold up the edges of the pastry around the fruit filling.
- Brush the homemade pastry with an egg wash.
- Sprinkle the whole strawberry rhubarb tart with sparkling sugar.
- Bake in a hot oven until golden brown and bubbly.
The filling is super hot, so let the strawberry rhubarb galette cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before serving. Incidentally, you can also cool these strawberry galettes to room temperature, then wrap them in foil and freeze them to serve at a later time. Just thaw before serving and if you’d like to serve them warm, heat them for about 10 minutes in a 300° oven.
I’m sold on this easy tart recipe and I know you will be too. This strawberry rhubarb galette is loaded with ripe, juicy fruit that stays happily contained in it’s buttery crust. Obviously, this would be great with a bit of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla, but this easy rhubarb recipe is great on it’s own too!
Garlic & Zest is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crostata
ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter 1 ½ sticks, cubed
- 3-5 tablespoons ice water or more as needed
- 1 ¾ pounds strawberries halved or quartered depending on their size
- ¾ pound rhubarb sliced into 1" pieces
- 2 tablespoons Instant Clear Jel
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons sparkling sugar
instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar and salt.
- Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons ice water until the dough just starts to come together. (Test the texture by pinching the dough between your fingers. If it holds together, it’s ready. If the dough is crumbly, add water a tablespoon at a time and pulse until the dough holds together.)
- Transfer dough to a floured work area and form it into a ball. Cut into fourths.
- Form each quarter into flat discs and wrap them individually in cellophane. Refrigerate dough for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar and Instant Clear Jel until they're well combined.
- Cut the fruit into bite sized pieces and toss the rhubarb and berries in a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the fruit and toss until well combined. Let the fruit rest for 10 minutes.
- Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface. Unwrap one disc of pastry and place it in the center of the plastic wrap. Cut another large piece of plastic and place it on top of the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll the pastry out into a 1/4" round. Turn the dough about 90° after each few rolls and lift the plastic wrap so that it doesn't stick to the dough and get overworked too much.
- Refrigerate the rolled out dough while you continue rolling out the other 3 discs of homemade pastry.
- To form the tarts, transfer dough to a lipped baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Mound a quarter of the fruit filling into the center of the dough and fold the edges over the fruit, pleating as you go. Repeat for additional pastry discs and fruit.
- Refrigerate crostatas for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. With a pastry brush, lightly sweep egg wash over the pastry and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes.
- Can be served warm or at room temperature.
- To freeze for later, wrap the room temperature tarts in aluminum foil and freeze individually on a flat baking sheet. Transfer frozen strawberry rhubarb tarts to a zip top freezer bag. Keeps well for up to 2 months. To reheat: Thaw the tarts and reheat them on a baking sheet for 10 minutes in a 300° oven.
Nutrition
“Pin It” For Later!
More Summer Fruit Desserts:
- Apricot Almond Tart
- Brown Sugar Cornmeal Plum Cake
- Peach Blueberry Pie
Galettes are just the most perfect easy summer dessert… This is so pretty!
Lisa, I love the detailed explanation you included in this recipe…and WOW does it look delicious! I too buy rhubarb without knowing what I’m doing with it. In fact, I have some right now LOL. I need to give your recipe a try! Just pinned 🙂
Thank you, Traci. I hope you and your family enjoy this one. It’s definitely a favorite in our house.
I love strawberry and rhubarb together and this galette looks so my kind of dessert. Beautiful and delicious flavors.
I think this galette looks absolutely perfect! Yum! I have never tried Instant Gel before — thanks for introducing me to it!
Wow, This looks so good, i love rhubarb and that pastry looks so perfect!
I’ve never had rhubarb. I’ve heard great things. I want to try this!
It sounds and looks beautiful, even if you weren’t quite happy with the pasty. That’s the problem of being a food blogger – wanting things to look perfect when taste is the most important thing.
I know, it’s a curse. My tasters didn’t seem offended.
That “never perfect pastry” DNA effects me as well 🙂 Although by the looks of that pastry I would say yours is not as dominant a gene as mine! It looks delicious!
You are too kind! It was good, though… no complaints from my tasters.
nom nom – I am going to try this!