This tart is pretty special. A crisp, nutty, hazelnut infused pastry filled with velvety vanilla custard, topped with intense, sweet roasted rhubarb. The vibrant pink sticky rhubarb looks stunning. This tart tastes as good as it looks.
This is not a quick, throw together kind of recipe, but it isn’t difficult. There are three elements to this tart, making the pastry and baking the empty tart shell, making the custard filling, and roasting the rhubarb. It doesn’t matter what order you make each element, but each needs to be cool before you assemble the completed tart. You could make any of the elements the day before if you like.
The final assembly is very quick once you have everything made and cooled, ready to go.
The tart requires ‘blind baking,’ whereby it is lined with baking paper and filled with weights (you can buy pie weights from the store, or use rice or beans) and cooked prior to removing the paper and weights and cooking completely. This ensures even cooking and sets the crust. The crisp tart shell is then cooled before filling with vanilla custard and topped with the roasted rhubarb and syrup.
The pastry contains a little hazelnut meal, giving it a delicate nutty taste that marries beautifully with the vanilla custard. You can find it at most supermarkets, but if you can’t, substitute with the same quantity of almond meal. Or use my classic Foolproof Shortcrust Pastry recipe instead.
Roasting rhubarb really concentrates its flavour. It’s such a gorgeous colour, that bright candy pink!
I love to eat this vanilla infused rhubarb on its own with a bowl of ice-cream. It also pairs well with Greek yoghurt or creamy ricotta, maybe with a scattering of muesli for a healthy, delicious breakfast or snack, so seal any leftover in jar and refrigerate for another day.
I’ve used a vanilla pod here to flavour the rhubarb, as it really does provide the most intense vanilla flavour. You can substitute vanilla paste or good quality extract if you like.
Ingredients
Method
- Put the flour, hazelnut meal, icing sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. This will only take seconds.
- Add the egg and vanilla and pulse again just until the mixture clings together to form a dough. If it’s not coming together, add 1-2 tbsp. of cold water.
- Remove from the bowl and press the pastry into a disk. Wrap tightly with cling-film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Put all the ingredients apart from the milk into a bowl. Use a whisk to combine into a thick smooth paste.
- Add the milk and whisk to combine.
- Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened. This takes around 7 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and tip into a large bowl. Allow to cool slightly then cover with cling-film, pressing directly onto the surface to stop a skin from forming.
- Refrigerate until cool. The mixture will thicken further as it cools. Prior to using, beat the custard until smooth.
- Cut the rhubarb into 10cm (4 in) lengths and lay in a single layer in a baking dish.
- Cut down the side of the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds out with a knife. Mix the seeds with the sugar and sprinkle an even layer all over the rhubarb.
- Pour over the water and roast for 20 minutes, or until tender.
- Set the rhubarb and syrup aside to cool.
- Preheat your oven to 200C (390F).
- Roll the pastry in-between two sheets of baking paper large enough to fit your tin (23cm round or 35 x 12cm rectangular)
- Peel one sheet of baking paper off and flip the pastry into the greased tin, remove the second sheet and press the pastry in.
- Prick the base all over with a fork, cut off any overhanging pastry and place in the refrigerator for 30min, or the freezer for 10 minutes to chill.
- Line the pastry with a sheet of baking paper and pie weights, rice or dried beans, and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and paper and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until firm and golden. Set aside to cool.
- Once cool, remove from the tin and set aside.
- Beat the vanilla custard cream until smooth, then spoon into the cool tart shell and smooth with a spatula.
- Drain the rhubarb, reserving the liquid, and place decoratively on top.
- Drizzle with a little reserved syrup and serve.
Recipe from my book – The Sweet Life, Home Baking and Sweet Treats Italian Style, New Holland Publishers Images – Locket Photgraphy
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