Strawberry Rhubarb Galette

Why you'll love this recipe

The filling stays jammy, not runny
Strawberries and rhubarb release a lot of liquid, but this recipe controls it from the start with two thickeners and a short maceration step to make sure the juices bake into a glossy, sliceable filling instead of pooling in the center.

The crust bakes up crisp and flaky—never soggy
The crust is balanced for flavor, crispness and flakiness. The thickeners set the filling so it can't soak into the crust making it soggy.

The sweet-tart flavor is perfectly balanced
Rhubarb brings brightness and tang, while strawberries round it out with natural sweetness. The sugar level is tuned so neither overpowers the other—resulting in a more complex, bakery-quality flavor.

It’s intentionally rustic (and forgiving)
Unlike pie, a galette doesn’t require perfect crimping or shaping. That means less stress, faster prep, and a beautiful, free-form dessert that still looks impressive.

New to working with Rhubarb?

Grown in the northern states such as Michigan, Washington and parts of California, rhubarb is best grown in areas where the ground freezes during the winter. It's in season from April to June. It can also be found frequently in the freezer section of grocery stores.

Is it a fruit or a vegetable?

While thought of as a fruit and looking like red celery with large leaves, it's actually a vegetable that is used like a fruit in pies, cakes, crisps, and quick breads. Rhubarb is very tart and astringent and is often paired with sweeter fruits to tame it.

Discard the leaves

Most important is the fact that the leaves contain oxalic acid which is poisonous and should be discarded. Most grocery stores cut the tops off before selling them.

While typically seen as red, the color of the stalk is not a sign of how ripe it is. It can be red, green or pink. Medium length stalks are usually less stringy than the longer ones.

Storing the rhubarb

To store rhubarb, immediately cut the leaves off and discard if they are still attached. Wrap the stalks tightly in foil and refrigerate up to several days before using. It can also be washed, cut and frozen, well wrapped, for several months in the freezer.

Recipe Ingredients

Strawberry Rhubarb Filling

FRONT ROW: Sanding sugar, unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, minute tapioca

MIDDLE ROW: Strawberries, granulated sugar, egg

BACK ROW: Rhubarb

FRONT ROW: Salt, egg, lemon juice

MIDDLE ROW: Unsalted butter, shortening

BACK ROW: Cake flour, ice water, all-purpose flour

Step by Step Instructions

You may notice when demonstrating how to pleat the crust there is a different filling in the crust. Because I now take my own pictures, it is impossible for me to recreate this so I borrowed the photos from the Cranapple Pie with a Pleated Crust.

Step 1. Combine the flours in the bowl of a processor and pulse several times. Step 2. Step 2. Add the frozen butter. Step 3. Pulse a few times to break it up in large clumps. Step 4. Add the frozen shortening.

Step 5. Beat the egg to until completely combined. Combine the egg, lemon juice and water. Step 2. Pour it in a circle over the processor contents. Step 7. Pulse until large clumps of dough form. Do not over process. Step 8. Pour it out onto a work surface and push it together.  Note: One of my long time readers came up with an alternative way to add the liquid that worked better for her. After cutting in the butter and shortening, she removed everything to a large bowl. Then added the liquids and stirred them in by hand to prevent the butter and shortening from being cut into too small of pieces.

Step 9. Shape the dough into a round. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or freeze. If it is frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight. Step 10. Combine the sugar, tapioca and flour and mix well. Step 11. Add it to the bowl in which the cut strawberries and rhubarb are placed. Step 12. Stir all together and let it sit while the crust is rolled out.

Step 13. Roll the dough into a 15" circle and trim to 14". Step 14. Drape it into a 9" pie place leaving an even overhang around the rim of the pie plate. Step 15. Add the filling to the crust. Step 16. Bring the pastry over the filling.

Step 17. Continue bringing up the crust and pleating it as you go. Step 18. Press the pleat in place lightly. Step 19. Make the final pleat. Step 20. Beat an egg with a fork until completely combined and no white is showing.

Step 21. Brush the pleats with the beaten egg. Step 22. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar if using. Step 23. For safety, place the galette on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet to make it easier to move it in and out of the oven. Step 24. Bake as directed.