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Delicious seasonal recipes from the Post Food team.

Raspberry-Rhubarb Sheet Pan Tart. (Scott Suchman/For The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky)

By Becky Krystal

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Good Saturday morning, everyone. I hope you have fun plans on tap this weekend. Maybe even some baking? If so, I have a stunning recipe for you to consider — at least I’m pretty sure you’ll agree it’s stunning.

Those kinds of educated guesses are, I’ll admit, one of the most challenging parts of my job. I’ve been developing and editing recipes at The Post for close to a decade now, so I like to think I have a decent idea about what will (or won’t) resonate with readers like you. While I’ve learned to trust my gut — if I enjoy a dish, surely others will, too — there’s also a certain amount of putting myself in other people’s shoes when, for whatever reason, something doesn’t line up with my personal inclinations. Can I set aside my biases and tastes, and evaluate a recipe on its own merits?

This week’s featured recipe is exactly the kind of scenario I mean. I know there are folks out there who “don’t like sweet desserts.” I’m certainly not one of them (I am The Post’s cookie lady, after all), but as a concept, I understand it. Food writer Ben Weiner does, too, which is what motivated him to develop a gorgeous Raspberry-Rhubarb Sheet Pan Tart. Rhubarb is almost invariably paired with strawberries to tame its tartness. Instead, Ben supplements the vibrant red stalks with raspberries and raspberry preserves, which bring just a hint of fruity sweetness alongside the more predominant sharpness. Lemon juice and zest heighten the brightness.

To build the dessert, you’ll roll out store-bought puff pastry for the base, then add a thin layer of cake batter, followed by the rhubarb-raspberry mixture. The end result: A flaky tart with a ruby-red soft, but fully set, topping that will make you pucker just enough to feel it in that spot right under your ears. (You know what I mean, right?) An optional dusting of confectioners’ sugar adds visual flair, and the unsweetened whipped crème fraîche served on the side does its part to keep the dessert in “not too sweet” territory. You’ll find links to a few similar recipes below.

Ellie Krieger also leans into bright, springy flavors this week with her Skillet Chicken With Mushrooms, Snap Peas and Tarragon Sauce. The peas are just barely cooked so they retain their sweet, crisp freshness, and the generous amount of anise-like tarragon plays well against the savory sauce enriched by browning both the chicken and the mushrooms. As Ellie says, this is the kind of meal that straddles the line between warm and cold weather, when you crave something that feels like comfort food but is light enough for spring.

What else do you want to be cooking this time of year? Let’s talk about it in my live weekly chat Thursday at 11 a.m. Eastern. Submit your questions now, then return when the conversation kicks off.

Until next week, happy cooking.

Skillet Chicken With Mushrooms, Snap Peas and Tarragon Sauce

(Tom McCorkle/For The Washington Post; food styling by Gina Nistico)

This one-pan meal features tender chicken breasts and crisp snap peas in a creamy sauce studded with sautéed mushrooms and shallot, and flavored with tarragon, garlic and mustard.

By Ellie Krieger

Raspberry-Rhubarb Sheet Pan Tart

Raspberry and rhubarb come together to create a dessert that is just sweet enough.

Whole Lemon Tart

Pureeing a whole lemon rather than making curd streamlines the process and brings loads of bright citrus flavor.

Copycat Dole Whip

Dole Whip is a pineapple-flavored soft serve beloved by fans of Disney parks, and our version packs a refreshing punch.

Seed Cake

This barely sweetened loaf is studded with caraway seeds that provide a gentle crunch and subtle licorice edge.

Recipe of the Week

(Scott Suchman/For The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky)

Raspberry-Rhubarb Sheet Pan Tart

Find substitution suggestions and other tips below the recipe.

Save or print the recipe

Make ahead: The rolled-out puff pastry needs to be refrigerated for 30 minutes.

Storage: The tart is best the day it’s made, but leftovers can be reheated in a 350-degree oven on a wire rack set inside a sheet pan.

Where to buy: Dufour puff pastry can be found in the freezer aisle at well-stocked supermarkets.

Servings: 8 (makes one 12-by-14-inch tart)

Active time: 50 mins

Total time: 2 hours 30 mins, including chilling and cooling time

Ingredients

One (14-ounce) package puff pastry, preferably all butter, such as Dufour, defrosted in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or according to the package instructions
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons turbinado or demerara sugar, divided
Pinch fine salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest (from 1 lemon), divided
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from the same lemon), divided
1/2 cup (120 grams) plus 1 tablespoon crème fraîche or whole Greek yogurt, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste, divided
1 large egg
1 pound (454 grams) rhubarb (3 to 4 stalks), cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup (155 grams) raspberry jam or preserves (with or without seeds)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Generous 1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) raspberries
1/4 cup (60 milliliters) heavy cream
Confectioners' sugar, for serving (optional)

Steps

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Dust a sheet of parchment paper generously with flour, transfer the defrosted pastry to the paper and roll out the dough into a roughly 12-by-14-inch (30-by-36-centimeter) rectangle. With the tip of a sharp paring knife, score an approximately 1/2-inch (1.25-centimeter) border around the dough, being careful not to cut through it. Using the tines of a fork, prick (dock) the center of the dough inside the border roughly every 2 inches. Transfer the parchment paper with the dough to a large sheet pan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until ready to use.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon of the turbinado sugar and the salt. Add the softened butter, and, using a flexible spatula, work in the butter until it’s fully incorporated. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the crème fraîche and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. In a small bowl, beat the egg, and pour all but about 1 tablespoon into the bowl with the flour mixture, then stir until a batter forms.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the rhubarb, jam, the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and cornstarch until the rhubarb is completely coated in the jammy slurry. Gently stir in the raspberries until evenly distributed. (It’s okay if some of the berries are a little crushed, but try to keep them somewhat intact.)

4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Using a pastry brush, brush the entire border with the remaining 1 tablespoon of egg, taking care to avoid the score lines so they don’t seal back up. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar around the border. Pour the batter into the interior of the tart and smooth into an even layer. Give the rhubarb mixture a quick stir to redistribute the juices, then spoon in an even layer over the top.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan from front to back, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the rhubarb is soft and the filling is set, another 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently slide the tart still on the parchment onto a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.

6. In a medium bowl, whisk the heavy cream to medium peaks (it should hold its shape fairly well but not be stiff enough to stand upright), then gently fold in the remaining 1/2 cup of crème fraîche and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Dust the tart with confectioners’ sugar, if using, slice into 8 triangular pieces (you can do this by cutting four rectangles, then halving each one) and serve, with the whipped crème fraîche on the side.

From food writer Ben Weiner. Tested by Becky Krystal.

Nutrition information per piece: Calories: 438; Total Fat: 29 g; Saturated Fat: 17 g; Cholesterol: 83 mg; Sodium: 215 mg; Carbohydrates: 41 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 19 g; Protein: 5 g.

Substitution suggestions + other tips and ideas: