Rhubarb And Rosewater Galettes

Rhubarb and Rose Galettes from Sweeter off the Vine by Yossy Arefi (Ten Speed Press)

makes 8 individual galettes

Rhubarb galettes are almost always my first baking project each spring because they combine my favorite ingredient (rhubarb) and with my favorite preparation, galettes. This style of tart is meant to be rustic and loose, so don’t worry if they don’t look totally perfect as they go into the oven; it just adds to their charm. Finish each tart with a spoonful of rose water–infused cream.

Ingredients

1 recipe (720g) Spelt Pie Crust (dough, shaped into squares rather than disks before

wrapping and chilling, see below)

1 pound (450g) rhubarb stalks, leaves removed

1 vanilla bean


1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest

3⁄4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Pinch salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons rose water

1 large egg lightly beaten, for egg wash

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

ROSE CREAM

1 cup (240ml) heavy cream

1 tablespoon rose water


2 teaspoons sugar

To make the galettes: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the rhubarb stalks lengthwise in half, then slice each half into roughly
 1/2-inch by 3-inch lengths to make long, skinny batons. Use the tip of a knife to slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds reserve the pod for another use.

In a large bowl, use your fingers to rub the vanilla seeds and lemon zest into the sugar, then add the flour and salt. Add the rhubarb batons to the bowl along with the lemon juice and rose water. Toss the rhubarb with the sugar and our mixture to coat.

Remove one square of the pie dough from the refrigerator and cut it into quarters. On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough quarter into a 4 by 5-inch rectangle between 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the four rectangles of dough to one of the prepared baking sheets. Arrange one-eighth of the rhubarb batons in a single, slightly overlapping layer on each piece of dough, leaving a generous 1/2-inch border around all sides. Fold the excess dough up and over the rhubarb and press the corner seams gently with your fingers to seal. Put the baking sheet in the freezer and repeat with the remaining dough and rhubarb.

Place that baking sheet in the freezer, too, and freeze until the dough is very firm, about 15 minutes. Save any rhubarb juices that remain in the bottom of the bowl.While the galettes are chilling, position two racks in the center and lower third of the oven, and preheat to 425ºF. When you are ready to bake the galettes, brush the edges of each galette with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Top the rhubarb in each galette with a spoonful of the reserved rhubarb juices. Bake the galettes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until they are deep golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.

To make the rose cream: Whip the cream with the rose water and sugar until soft peaks form. Store the cream in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Let the tarts cool slightly before serving. Top each tart with 
a spoonful of cream and serve immediately.

ALL-BUTTER PIE CRUST

1 1/3 cups (170g) all purpose flour

1 1/3 cups (170g) spelt flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (255g) very cold unsalted butter

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

8-10 tablespoons (120ml) ice water

Directions

Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl, cut the butter into 1⁄2-inch cubes, and add the apple cider vinegar into 8 tablespoons of the ice water.

Working quickly, add the butter to the flour and toss to coat. Then use your fingers or the palms of your hands to press each cube of butter into a flat sheet. Keep tossing the butter in the flour as you go to ensure that each butter piece is coated with flour. The idea is to create thin shards of butter range from about the size of a dime to about the size of a quarter. If at any time the butter seems warm or soft, briefly refrigerate the bowl.

Sprinkle about 6 tablespoons of the icy cold vinegar-water mixture over the flour mixture. Use a gentle hand or wooden spoon to stir the water into the flour until just combined. If the dough seems dry, add more cold water a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and easily squeeze it together without it falling apart.

Press the dough together, then split it in half. Form each half into a square, and wrap each square in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours before using, but preferably overnight. Keeps for up to three months in the freezer wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

Get more recipes from Yossy's blog Apt. 2B Baking Co.  and to purchase her new cookbook, Sweeter Off The Vine, click here.