Description
Flaky pastry + frangipane + fruit is one of my all-time favorite combinations.
Watch a how-to video of the whole process here, which might offer some guidance regarding the texture of dough and the process for shaping.
If you can’t find almond flour or don’t feel like paying for it or don’t have it on hand, you can pulse almonds (whole, sliced, slivered, whatever) in the food processor. The color of the frangipane will be brownish if you use whole almonds and the texture of the finished frangipane might not be as smooth but the taste will still be great.
Depending on how tart your rhubarb is you may need more or less sugar, which is why I’ve given a range. I’ve made this twice this week, once using 1/4 cup sugar, once using 1/3 cup sugar, and both amounts still yielded cooked fruit with a nice tartness. I didn’t serve it with ice cream or whipped cream, but either of the two would be a nice way to balance the tartness.
Ingredients
for the rhubarb:
- 3/4 lb rhubarb stalks, cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar
- zest from one orange
for the pastry:
- 2½ (320g) cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher or table salt
- 2 sticks (16 tablespoons | 8 oz | 227 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons ice water
for the frangipane:
- 1/2 cup almond flour or finely ground almonds, see notes above
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 1 egg (small if possible)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla, rum, brandy or bourbon
for assembly and serving:
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar for sprinkling, turbinado is nice
- vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and place a rack in the center of the oven.
- Prepare the rhubarb: Toss the rhubarb with the sugar and orange zest in a large bowl and set aside.
- Make the pastry: 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 be about 10 quick pulses. Add the ice water and pulse again about 10 times until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pinched. Lay two clean tea towels on a work surface. Dump half of the crumbly dough mixture into the center of each. (Don’t wash the food processor!) Grab the four corners of the towel together and twist to create a beggar’s purse, pressing the dough into a round. Use your hands to pack and flatten the round. Store one of the rounds in the freezer for a future use. Keep the other nearby handy.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 12- or 13-inch round. Use as much flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking, and every few rolls, flip the dough over. Transfer dough to a parchment- or Silpat-lined sheetpan. If you have space in the fridge, chill the pastry while you make the frangipane.
- Make the frangipane: Combine almond flour, sugar, salt, butter, egg, and vanilla in the uncleaned bowl of the food processor. Purée until smooth.
- Spoon 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 into the center of the frangipane and spread out to cover. You can cherry pick the really red pieces and arrange them on top — the bright red stalks look so pretty in the end. Fold the exposed edge of dough towards the center to make a rustic enclosure. See the video linked above for guidance.
- Brush the edge of the dough with melted butter. Drizzle the remainder over the exposed rhubarb. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden. Remove pan from the oven and let rest on cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes or until Silpat or paper is cool enough to handle. Grab the edges of the paper or Silpat and slide to a cooling rack to cool further or to a cutting board to serve. Cut into wedges. Serve on its own or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: French, American