OK, there is often method to my madness. But this time I can’t take any credit for what simply had to be done. You see, our freezer is dying. It’s maintaining a slow demise, which is good, because there are no upright, non frost-free freezers to be found out here in the wild, wild West.

Oh, there are chest freezers, but I don’t want a chest freezer. (Just personal preference.) And I don’t want a frost-free freezer either. (Frozen foods last much longer if not exposed to constantly fluctuating temperatures.) So that leaves me with my current freezer that has some areas working perfectly (at least currently), others, not so much. And my last two remaining containers of chopped rhubarb were in the area that was not working as well as it should. So I decided something radical had to be done. But how to use my cherished 4 cups of diced rhubarb? So I went hunting.

I found this recipe on the alexandracooks.com food site. And what a wonderful find this was. The crust was so simple to build that I will never, ever use another recipe for a tart or galette again. Never! (Mr. C. described it last evening as eating sunshine. Wow! Can anything be better than that?!?!) Anyway, the crust was tender and flaky and perfect. And oh so very easy to make! Ahhhh, blessed be the easy to prepare recipes……..

The rest of the recipe however was a bit more time consuming, what with doctoring the rhubarb and preparing the frangipane. But no more than fixing any dessert worth eating!

So if you too are a galette or tart lover, this is one dessert you are really going to want to build. Absolutely delicious. And just because peaches are coming into season, I have provided you, free of charge, with my recipe for a fresh peach tart (galette). (The recipes just keep flowing folks. I simply can’t help myself.) Anyway, I hope you enjoy both of these recipes.

As always, keep your sense of humor, your thoughts pure, and your conduct beyond reproach. If nothing else, it will drive those who don’t know you well to wonder what drugs you are taking! (Mr. C. has been reading Hunter S. Thompson’s book – Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to me as a bedtime story. Mr. C. was semi reluctant to read this story to me because he thought I would hate the story line. Wrong. I’m finding it hilarious. Pathetic, but hilarious. And yes I lived through the 60s. But about as polar opposite from Raoul Duke and his attorney Dr. Gonzo as a person can be.)

Rhubarb:

4 c. diced rhubarb*  

¼ c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. loosely packed orange zest

Toss the rhubarb with the sugar and orange zest in a large bowl; set aside.

*If using previously frozen rhubarb, drain thawed rhubarb well and add 2 tsp. flour to the mix.

Pastry:

1¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 T. granulated sugar

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

¼ c. + 1 T. ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt together. Cut the butter into small pieces, then add to the food processor. Pulse at 1 second intervals until butter is the size of peas. Should take about 10 quick pulses. Add the ice water and pulse again about 10 times until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pinched. 

Dump the crumbly dough onto a lightly floured work surface. (Don’t wash the food processor!) Using your hands, press the dough into a flat, thick disk. Roll the dough out into a 12- or 13-inch round. Use as much flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.

Fold the dough in half, then half again. (This makes it easier to transfer the dough to a parchment-paper lined baking sheet.) I use one of my cookie sheets that has one side that has a rim, and the other 3 sides are un-rimmed. (See picture.)

Only having one side with a rim on your baking pan makes life much easier when it’s time to transfer the baked galette to a serving platter. Set the pastry aside while you prepare the frangipane.

Frangipane:

½ c. almond flour or finely ground almonds (see how to make almond flour below)

2 T. granulated sugar

pinch kosher salt

2 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 sm. egg  

2 tsp. amaretto

Combine the almond flour, sugar, salt, butter, egg, and amaretto in the uncleaned bowl of the food processor. Whirl until smooth.

To assemble the Galette:

2 T. melted unsalted butter

1 to 2 T. finishing sugar for sprinkling (turbinado, demerara or any large grained sugar)

vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Spread the frangipane into the center of the rolled out dough leaving a 1 to 2-inch border. Heap the rhubarb and all of the juices in the center, then spread evenly to cover the frangipane.

Fold the edge of dough towards the center to make a rustic enclosure. (See pictures above.) Brush the edge of the dough with melted butter. Drizzle any remaining butter over the rhubarb. Sprinkle finishing sugar evenly over the top, crust and all.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. (Hint: I use the convection setting on my oven for the last 10 minutes or so. This helps the pastry crust brown.)

Remove from oven and let rest on a cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes before carefully sliding the galette off the pan and parchment paper onto a serving or cake plate. To serve, cut into wedges and dollop with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Homemade Almond Flour:

Place almonds (whole, sliced, slivered, whatever), about ¼ cup at a time, in the food processor. Pulse until you reach a flour-like consistency; sift into a container. Place any remaining almonds chunks back into food processor and pulse. Repeat until all almonds are transformed into flour and you have the amount needed for your recipe.

Peach Tart (Galette): (see picture under Rustic Peach Tart)

pastry – prepared and rolled out as above

4-5 ripe but firm peaches, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. almond extract

2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

3 T. sugar

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

pinch ground nutmeg

pinch salt

2 T. melted unsalted butter

1 to 2 T. finishing sugar for sprinkling (turbinado, demerara, or any large grained sugar)

vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Combine the cut peaches, lemon juice, and almond extract in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour the flour mixture over the peaches and gently stir until all the pieces of peach are covered with flour. (Use instructions for rhubarb galette above to roll out and place pastry onto your baking sheet.)

Scoop the mixture onto the pastry crust leaving about a 1½ inch edge uncovered. Fold the edge of dough towards the center to make a rustic enclosure. (See picture.) Brush the edge of the dough with melted butter. Drizzle the remainder melted butter over the peach filling. Sprinkle finishing sugar evenly over the top, crust and all.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. (Hint: I use the convection setting on my oven for the last 10 minutes or so. This helps the pastry crust brown.)

Remove from oven and let rest on cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes before carefully sliding the galette onto a serving or cake plate. To serve, cut into wedges and dollop with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.