Rhubarb Peach Galette

Do you like pie? But also like being lazy? Then I have just the dessert for you: the galette. Some people refer to this dessert as rustic. But let's just say what it really is: the most ugly and beautiful, goopy, and imprecise dessert you will ever make. 

The crust is simple. It can be filled with nearly anything. It is cooked on parchment directly on a baking sheet. The filling can seep through the crust, onto the parchment, still look pretty and not ruin the flavor in the least bit. It is truly magical.

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Rhubarb Peach Galette

Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3 to 4 tbsp ice water

Rhubarb Peach Filling
2 cups chopped rhubarb
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp flour
1-2 peaches, sliced

Make the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

Mix in the cold butter and shortening until the dough is crumbly.

Sprinkle ice water over the mixture 1 tablespoon at a time while tossing with a fork. After adding 3 tablespoons of water, gather the dough together into a ball. Add more water if it crumbles and won't hold together.

Flatten into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.

Make the filling: place rhubarb and sugar in a bowl and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Combine with flour.

Assemble: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out dough to about 14" in diameter. Fill with rhubarb mixture and place peach slices on top. Fold the edges of the dough into the center in a  logical or haphazard way. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling.

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Fresh Fruit Pavlova

If I were to rank my favorite cloud-like desserts it would start with meringue and end with cotton candy. Granted, there are really only two items that fall into this category but they are both light and fluffy and delicious.

You may call this a gigantic meringue or a perfect pavlova but in either case, you should fill it with an apricot sauce or whipped cream--or even hot fudge--top it with some berries and serve it with lobster, cheese, guacamole, chips, popcorn, hummus or whatever else your next dinner party serves up.

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Pavlova

4 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 cup superfine or regular sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Make the pavlova: Preheat oven to 350°F  and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7 inch circle on the paper.

Pour the vanilla and vinegar into a small cup. Stir the cornstarch into the sugar in a small bowl.

In a large bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites and salt, starting on low, increasing to medium speed until egg whites start to bubble and soft peaks begin to form (~2 to 3 minutes).

Increase speed to medium-high and slowly add the sugar mixture. A few minutes after these dry ingredients are added, slowly pour in the vanilla and vinegar. Increase speed and whip until meringue is glossy, and stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted.

Gently spread the meringue inside the circle on the parchment paper, making sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center. 

Place in oven and immediately drop temperature to 250°F. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the outside is dry. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. Tip: bake this at night and leave in the over until morning!

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