This galette was a last-minute, improvised bake that turned out wonderfully. Yes, there are a lot of rhubarb recipes here lately — I can’t help it. I’m utterly obsessed.
The first time I made this galette the crust was a little rough and there was a dramatic strawberry–rhubarb juice spill in the oven. It was a happy disaster: I spooned the bubbled-over juices back onto the filling and they formed a glossy glaze. On the second attempt I was neater with the crust, reduced the sugar slightly, and used a bit less fruit, which meant less spillover — though there were still some juices to spoon back on top. The photo above is from that second bake. Below is the original, messier but equally tasty version.
The crust is loosely adapted from Yossy Arefi’s simple cream cheese pastry. The rose-scented filling is inspired by Yossy’s approach, as adapted by Alanna Taylor-Tobin. The result is a rustic galette with bright, tart rhubarb, sweet strawberries, and a subtle floral note from the rose water.
Strawberry, Rhubarb, and Rose Galette in Cream Cheese Crust
A simple, rustic galette combining tart rhubarb, sweet strawberries, and a hint of rose in a tender cream-cheese crust. The filling and crust are both adapted from tested recipes for ease and flavor.
Dessert
galette, rhubarb, strawberry, strawberry-rhubarb
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 3 oz (84 g) full-fat cream cheese cold, cut into chunks
- 3 oz (84 g) unsalted butter cold, cut into chunks
- small pinch salt
- large pinch sugar
- 1 oz (28 g) full-fat sour cream
For the filling:
- 12 oz (336 g) rhubarb chopped into 3/4 inch pieces
- 12 oz (336 g) fresh strawberries trimmed; halved if small, sliced if large
- 130-150 g sugar (130 g for tarter filling, 150 g for sweeter, stickier filling)
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- pinch salt
To finish:
- 1 egg beaten
- turbinado sugar
Instructions
Make the pastry for the crust:
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Whisk the flour with the salt and sugar in a large bowl.
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Add the cold butter and cream cheese chunks and cut them in with a pastry blender until pieces are about the size of small peas. Add the sour cream and blend until the mixture just begins to clump. Quickly gather the dough into a mass, transfer to plastic wrap, and shape into a rough disk using the wrap to avoid warming the dough with your hands.
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Wrap the disk and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Assemble the galette:
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Place an inverted baking sheet or pizza stone on a lower rack and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
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Turn the chilled dough onto a large sheet of parchment (lightly floured if desired). Cover with another sheet of parchment and roll to a roughly 1/8-inch thick round.
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Transfer the rolled dough, still between the parchment sheets, to a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
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In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and cornstarch.
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In a large bowl, combine the chopped rhubarb and prepared strawberries. Add the lemon juice and rose water, then toss with the sugar mixture until evenly coated.
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Remove the baking sheet with the pastry from the fridge and peel off the top parchment layer.
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Mound the fruit in the center of the dough, leaving at least a 2-inch border. Fold the edges over the filling, pleating as needed to form a rustic edge.
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Brush the crust with the beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
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Place the galette on the preheated baking surface and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is beginning to color.
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If juices bubble over, open the oven and carefully spoon the bubbled liquid back onto the filling to form a glaze. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and continue baking about 15 more minutes, checking periodically and spooning any additional juices back on top as needed. Remove when the crust is a deep golden brown and transfer the galette to a wire rack to cool.
Recipe Notes
Keep all ingredients very cold when making the pastry. Chilling the bowl and pastry blender briefly after cutting in the butter and cream cheese can help maintain flakiness. The sugar range allows you to choose between a tart, restrained filling or a very sticky, bubbling-sweet filling — adjust to taste.
