These rustic free-form tarts are filled with strawberries, rhubarb, ground almonds and vanilla bean. Decorated with a crunchy candied almond crust! Great with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or custard. The pastry can be made 2 days in advance but the tarts are best served on the day. 

RUSTIC STRAWBERRY, RHUBARB & ALMOND GALETTES

Makes 4 8cm free-form tarts

INGREDIENTS

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY
180 grams butter
320 grams plain flour
120 grams icing sugar
1 egg
Pinch of salt

FILLING
250g strawberries, sliced
200g rhubarb, choppe into 3cm long piece
60g white sugar
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod
30g almond meal

TOPPING
1 egg, whisked
40g sliced almonds
2 tablespoons raw sugar

METHOD

In a food processor, blitz all pastry ingredients until you have a soft dough. Turn out on to a lightly floured bench and bring together. Flatten into a disk, wrap in grease proof paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Place the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and vanilla bean in a bowl and mix well, making sugar fruit is completely covered in sugar. Cover and refrigerate for an hour. 

Remove dough from fridge and let soften for 10 - 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray. Roll pastry out between two sheets of grease proof paper until dough is around 3mm thick. Cut dough into 4 circles, around 17cm in diameter. Pile the fruit into the centre of the pastry leaving a 4cm border. Reserve the macerated fruit juices from the bowl. Gently fold the pastry over the fruit, pleating the dough will stop the juices from pouring out. 

Brush the pastry with egg wash and scatter over sliced almonds. Brush the egg wash over the almonds and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Once cool, brush with macerated fruit syrup. 

Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or custard!