This Rhubarb Galette is bright and tangy, sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. And since this freeform single pie crust recipe is intentionally rustic, you can put it together for a weeknight treat and not fuss about making it perfect.
Rhubarb is the harbinger of springtime, and lucky for us we have some growing in our vegetable garden. Rhubarb is best when cooked, though we've been known to snack on these seriously sour stalks while working in the garden. When cooked with sugar and a bit of cornstarch, it becomes sweet, bright and jam-like. It makes a delicious filing for a free-form, rustic pie like a galette.
Ingredients that Matter
Rhubarb is the star here, but there are a handful of other important ingredients that help bring out floral, tangy flavor and also prevent the galette's crust from getting soggy:
- Rhubarb. The recipe calls for 4 cups of chopped rhubarb, and depending on their size, that's about 6-8 stalks, or 1 pound. Give the rhubarb a good wash and cut just before mixing with the other filling ingredients to retain as much of its natural moisture as possible. More on rhubarb below.
- Pie Crust. Use a single pie crust for this recipe, either store-bought or homemade (try our homemade all butter food processor pie crust recipe). It's important the dough stays cold before going in the oven to encourage a flaky crust. As you assemble the galette, be sure there are no punctures or holes in the bottom of the crust or the filling could leak out and make a mess on the baking sheet.
- Almonds. We love the flavor combination of rhubarb and almonds, but the almonds serve a second purpose. They are added in a thin layer, along with fresh breadcrumbs, to help absorb the liquid from the rhubarb as it bakes. It also makes for a lovely almond filling (somewhat similar to frangipane).
- Fresh Breadcrumbs. Adding a bit of breadcrumbs to the almond mixture helps absorb runoff liquid from the rhubarb as it bakes. You can use 1 cup of loosely packed fresh breadcrumbs, ½ cup of dry (unflavored) or 1 slice of torn fresh bread (white, challah, honey oat, etc.).
- Almond Extract. A splash of almond extract is added to the almond-breadcrumb layer to punch up the almond flavor. You can leave this out, but it won't be quite as delicious, in our opinion.
- Sugar. Regular granulated sugar is all you need, and you do need a bit as the rhubarb is quite sour. Don't worry, rhubarb is a vegetable after all (ah, how we wish that's how nutrition worked!).
- Raspberry Jam. Our secret ingredient to finish off this galette is seedless raspberry jam thinned out with a bit of water and heated until it's a brushable consistency. Brush the jam on the rhubarb after if comes out of the oven to add a nice bright red glossy finish.
What is a Galette?
Simply put, a galette is a freeform pie or tart made with a single crust. It's made by rolling pie crust into a thin disc, placing the filling in the middle (leaving a bit of border), then folding the dough up over the filling. A galette is a French crusty pie or tart, but fillings go far beyond traditional French ingredients.
Galettes are typically filled with fruit, like peaches, berries, cherries and apples. But they can also be savory. Simply add your filling to the dough, fold the edges, brush with egg and then bake until golden brown.
The two main challenges with making a galette are soggy bottoms and leakage. To ensure the bottom of the crust isn't soggy, we add a thin layer of almonds and breadcrumbs, plus we start the galette at a high temperature to ensure good browning. And to keep the filling from leaking it's important the dough has no punctures and the seams of the dough are sealed, typically with an egg wash.
What to Know about Rhubarb
Despite its primary use in sweet applications, rhubarb is actually a vegetable. The stalks of the plant are edible and taste quite sour and tangy. They also have a unique floral flavor. We have a theory that rhubarb is so popular because it's one of the first crops of the season to harvest. Plus it's a perennial, meaning it comes back like clockwork every spring.
If you grow your own, you likely know NOT to eat the leaves as they are poisonous (in larger quantities, but still, DON'T EAT THE LEAVES). And a very severe freeze can also turn the entire plant toxic. But don't let that all scare you, rhubarb stalks are safe to eat, delicious and totally unique!
Did you know the color of the stalks doesn't determine its ripeness? Rhubarb may be anywhere from green to pink and bright red.
How to make Rhubarb Galette
Roll out the pie crust to a roughly shaped 14-inch circle. Be sure to dust both sides well with flour to prevent sticking.
Transfer crust to a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with an egg wash.
Add almonds, breadcrumbs, sugar, butter and almond extract to the base of a food processor.
Pulse the mixture until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Toss rhubarb with sugar, cornstarch and salt until well coated.
Place almond mixture in a single layer in the center of the pie crust, leaving about a 1 ½-inch border.
Spoon rhubarb mixture over the almonds.
Fold the edges of the dough over the rhubarb, gently pressing to seal each fold.
Brush the folds of the dough with more egg wash and sprinkle the dough and rhubarb with remaining sugar.
Transfer to an oven preheated to 425°F then immediately turn the oven down to 375°F and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 45-55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then brush with raspberry jam. Cool to room temperature before serving, about 1 hour.
Rhubarb Galette Storage and Serving
This rhubarb galette is best served slightly warm but it keeps well for up to 3 days if covered and stored in the refrigerator. We prefer it room temperature or barely cold, so set on the counter about 20 minutes before serving.
As for serving suggestions, we love it with a simple whipped cream. But you can't go wrong with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. We've been known to have a small slice with our morning coffee, so yes, we can confirm it's delicious with coffee, too!
PrintRecipe
Rhubarb Galette
- Total Time: 2 hrs.
- Yield: 1 galette 1x
Description
This Rhubarb Galette is perfect for spring with fresh rhubarb, a thin layer of almonds and a finish brush of raspberry jam. It's easy to pull together for an impromptu dessert, but stunning and delicious enough to keep around for special occasions.
Ingredients
Almond Filling
- ¾ cup whole almonds (about 3 ½ oz.)
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh breadcrumbs or ½ cup dried breadcrumbs (see note)
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. almond extract
Rhubarb Filling
- 4 cups chopped rhubarb, about 1 lb. (6-8 stalks)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
- 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
- ½ tsp. table salt
Pie Crust
- 1 pie crust, homemade or store bought
- 1 egg, whisked with 1 Tbsp. of water
- 1 Tbsp. seedless raspberry jam plus 1 Tbsp. water (optional)
Instructions
Almond Filling
- Place almonds, breadcrumbs, butter, sugar and almond extract in the base of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, about 30 pulses. Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Rhubarb Filling
- Place chopped rhubarb in a medium bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of the sugar and set aside. Add remaining sugar to bowl with rhubarb, along with cornstarch and salt. Toss until well coated; set aside for 10 minutes.
To Assemble the Galette
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll pie crust into a 13-14-inch disc. The crust does not have to be perfectly circular. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the entire crust with egg wash then place the almond mixture in the center of the dough, leaving a 1 ½-inch border. Gently press into a single layer. Add rhubarb mixture directly on top of almond mixture, including any sugar that dissolved.
- Carefully fold the edges of the dough over the rhubarb filling, gently pressing each fold to seal. Brush the folds with more egg wash. Sprinkle the dough and exposed rhubarb filling with reserved 2 tablespoons of sugar. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Transfer baking sheet to oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375°F. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 45-55 minutes. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Microwave raspberry jam and water in a microwave-safe dish until bubbly, about 30 seconds, then stir to combine. Or, heat the jam and water in a small sauce pan on medium until melted and brushable. Carefully brush mixture over rhubarb. Cool galette another 50 minutes before slicing to serve. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- A galette is a freeform pie so it doesn't need to be perfectly shaped. Rustic is best here!
- The amount of rhubarb stalks needed for this recipe varies depending on their size and thickness, but it should be about 1 pound and 4 cups when chopped.
- Breadcrumbs are added to the almond mixture to soak up some of the liquid from the rhubarb as it bakes, preventing the crust from getting soggy. Don't have fresh breadcrumbs? Simply tear up 1 slice of bread (such as white, honey oat or challah) and add it to the food processor along with the almonds. You can also use dried breadcrumbs, just use ½ cup and be sure they are unseasoned.
- The raspberry jam is optional, but brushing the galette with the jam gives the rhubarb a bright red color.
- Prep Time: 20 min.
- Cook Time: 45 min.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
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