Rhubarb and Custard Tartlets
Individual rhubarb and custard tartlets - the perfect spring dessert that are simple to put together
Prep Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Cook Time45 minutes mins
Chill time40 minutes mins
Total Time2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Course: Dessert, Sweets
Cuisine: British
Servings: 4
Calories: 575kcal
For the rhubarb
- 200 g forced Yorkshire rhubarb roughly 3 stems
- ½ vanilla pod seeds scraped out
- 1 teaspoon dark brown soft sugar
- 2 teaspoons Amaretto liqueur
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
For the pastry
- 150 g plain flour
- 50 g ground almonds
- pinch of salt
- 100 g cold unsalted butter cubed
- milk to bind (roughly 3 tablespoons)
- few drops almond extract optional
For the crème pâtissière
Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour until thick and creamy. Add the vanilla pod and seeds to the milk and heat to boiling point. Remove from the heat and remove the vanilla pod. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture gradually, whisking continuously.
3 egg yolks, 50 g caster sugar, 20 g cornflour, ½ vanilla pod, 250 ml whole milk
Return to the stove in a clean pan and heat gently until thickened, still whisking all the time. Once it has thickened, remove to a bowl and chill in the fridge until needed.
For the rhubarb
Preheat oven to 180°C. Wash and trim the rhubarb. Cut into 4cm pieces and place in a roasting tin. Sprinkle with the vanilla seeds and add the pod too. Sprinkle over the dark brown soft sugar, 1 teaspoon Amaretto and 2 teaspoon water. Roast for approximately 10 minutes or until tender but still holding their shape. Remove from the roasting tin and leave to cool.
200 g forced Yorkshire rhubarb, ½ vanilla pod, 1 teaspoon dark brown soft sugar, 2 teaspoons Amaretto liqueur, 2 teaspoons water
Pour the roasting juices into a small saucepan and add the remaining 1 teaspoon Amaretto and 1 teaspoon caster sugar. Heat briefly over a high heat so that the mixture reduces to form a glaze - scarcely a minute.
2 teaspoons Amaretto liqueur, 1 teaspoon caster sugar
For the pastry
Rub the flour, almonds and butter together until they resemble breadcrumbs.
150 g plain flour, 50 g ground almonds, 100 g cold unsalted butter, pinch of salt
Add the almond extract, if using, along with the milk. Stir briefly and then turn the mixture out onto your work surface. Literally push it together with your hands - do not work this mixture at all. Wrap in cling film and chill for 20 mins.
few drops almond extract, milk to bind
Roll out the pastry to 2-3mm thickness and cut out rounds that are slightly bigger than your tartlet tins. Push the pastry rounds gently into the tins - do not stretch them. Trim the edges (I find it easiest to roll my rolling pin over the top to do this but you can use a knife) and prick the bases with a fork. Chill for 10-20 mins.
Place a small piece of baking paper into each case and fill with baking beans or rice. Bake at 180°C for 10 mins. Remove the baking beans and return to the oven for another 5-10 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool.
I can't be doing with making pastry in the food processor. Not only is it perfectly simple to make by hand, it is also much easier to control the results this way. You want your pastry to be as short and as crisp as possible and working it as little as humanly possible is the best way to guarantee this.
For a little twist, you could try flavouring the crème pâtissière with orange zest instead of, or in addition to, vanilla.
Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 59.4g | Protein: 12.9g | Fat: 26.7g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.5g | Cholesterol: 194.6mg | Sodium: 647.3mg | Potassium: 424.8mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 22.8g | Vitamin A: 225.1IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 226.8mg | Iron: 2.4mg