Rhubarb-Cardamom Slab Galette
Maybe the prettiest spring dessert I've ever made.
Hot take: Rhubarb doesn’t need strawberry. So often, the sharp vivaciousness of rhubarb is “balanced” by sweet strawberries, but rhubarb deserves its moment in the spotlight, reveling in all its magenta, tart ‘n’ tangy glory. My favorite way to highlight this stalky spring vegetable—yes, it’s technically a veggie, not a fruit!—is in a very simple galette. This one is inspired by Chez Panisse—Alice Waters’ iconic farm-to-table restaurant in Berkeley, California—where a rotating seasonal fruit galette is a mainstay on their menu. Instead of packing them with mountains of fruit, their galettes focus on a single layer of peak-season produce encased in a thin, buttery, crackly crust. The result is delicate, flaky, jammy perfection—a shining display of restraint.
The flavoring is the fun part. There are so many avenues to walk down—a scraped vanilla bean and bit of almond extract, warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, floral rose water, and even bright, zippy lime zest. Here, glossy-bossy orange caramel—made with orange juice and orange zest—plus green cardamom, orange blossom water, and a splash of vanilla extract creates a fragrant, layered floral flavoring that partners with the tartness of the rhubarb perfectly.
Instead of being formed into a freeform round, the dough—made with all butter and just a touch of semolina flour for superb, rustic flakiness—is tucked into a quarter sheet pan (hence, slab galette!), and then filled with the dressed rhubarb. The crust is finished with some chopped pistachios and a sprinkling of granulated sugar for extra caramelized nutty crunch.
Rhubarb-Cardamom Slab Galette
This galette is perfect any time of the day, from brunch to dessert. It’s just as happy alongside a cup of coffee or tea as it is on a sunny picnic table or at the end of a meal. While it’s a delight on its own, a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream really takes the rhubarb to new heights. For the latter, if you can find pistachio or maple cream ice cream (my fave is from Straus Family Creamery), all the better!
Makes 1 quarter-sheet galette
INGREDIENTS
For the crust
1¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (45g) semolina flour
2 tablespoons (24g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ½ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cubed
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
For the filling & assembly
1½ pounds rhubarb
Zest of 1 orange
½ cup (96g), plus 1 tablespoon, granulated sugar
½ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons (12g) cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon orange blossom water, optional
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground green cardamom (seeds from about 3 to 4 pods) or ¼ teaspoon pre-ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ⅛ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt
1 large egg
3 tablespoons chopped raw, shelled pistachios
Lightly sweetened whipped cream or ice cream, for serving, optional
METHOD
To make the crust, place 1¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (45g) semolina flour, 2 tablespoons (24g) granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ½ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt in a bowl and mix to combine. Add 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold, cubed unsalted butter, toss to coat the cubes in the flour, and then, using your fingers, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it’s about the size of chickpeas. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons ice water and bring together into a very shaggy dough (if it’s looking dry, add 1 tablespoon ice water at a time).
Turn the dough onto the counter—don’t worry if it looks dry—and gather it into a rectangle, squeezing the pieces together. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll into a 6 x 12-inch rectangle. Using a bench scraper, flip the top third down and the bottom third up. If there are rogue dry bits you can put them between the layers. Repeat the process of rolling and folding until it comes together, 2 to 3 times more, finishing with a fold so you have a small rectangle of dough. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
To prepare the fruit, trim the dry ends off the top and bottom of 1½ pounds rhubarb. Cut the rhubarb in the desired size for the design you want. I usually use the rimmed quarter sheet pan as a reference for cutting. You can go as intricate as a chevron pattern (photographed above) or as simple as cutting the stalks the width of the pan, so they run crosswise across the galette. Or, for somewhere in the middle, cut into 4-inch pieces, so you can arrange three to four spears, depending on their thickness, horizontally to form a square on one side and the same number going vertically on the other side, then repeat the process moving down the pan, alternating horizontal and vertical squares. Transfer the cut rhubarb into a large bowl, add the zest of 1 orange, reserving the juice for later use, and set aside.
Place ½ cup (96g) granulated sugar in a small skillet over medium heat. Melt without disturbing the sugar, and then cook, stirring occasionally until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add ½ cup orange juice—the sugar will seize at this point!—and continue to cook, stirring constantly until the caramelized sugar dissolves again. Turn off the heat and add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon orange blossom water, if using, ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground green cardamom or ¼ teaspoon pre-ground cardamom, and ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ⅛ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt, and stir until the butter is melted and fully incorporated.
Pour the caramel over the rhubarb, add 1½ tablespoons (12g) cornstarch, and gently mix to coat the fruit in the mixture. Set aside.
To roll out the crust, place the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 16½ x 12½-inch rectangle. Line the bottom of a quarter sheet pan with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper. Transfer the dough to the lined pan, letting it slouch into the pan. Give the rhubarb a stir, arrange the pieces in a single layer in your desired pattern, and pour any leftover liquid evenly over the fruit. Carefully fold the top down, followed by the side, bottom, and the final side. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375°F. Beat 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water and set aside.
Brush the crust of the chilled galette with the egg wash and sprinkle evenly with 3 tablespoons chopped raw, shelled pistachios and the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Bake until the crust is deep golden and the fruit is soft and jammy, 45 to 55 minutes. If the crust starts browning too fast, you can cover it with thin pieces of aluminum foil. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature on its own or with lightly sweetened whipped cream or the ice cream of your choice.
Make-Ahead: The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance. If it’s too cold to roll out, let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. The galette itself can be made a few hours ahead of time and kept at room temperature until serving. If you want to serve it warm, just stick it in a 375°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes before serving.