Rhubarb and Custard Tart

Cooking instructions

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

1. Pour the flour onto a clean, cool and flat surface. Make a well in the centre of flour and pour the egg yolks, softened butter, and caster sugar into the middle.
2. Gradually mix the ingredients until they form rough crumbs, then gather up the dough in a ball and wrap in cling film.
3. Rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. 
4. Sprinkle a little flour onto a cool surface and roll the pastry until it is between 3-5mm thick. 
5. Cover a flat baking tray with parchment paper and place an 80mm ring on top of the paper. 
6. Place the pastry over the ring, making sure there is enough excess to cover the sides and gently push the pastry into the correct shape. 
7. Prick the pastry with a fork, cover it with parchment paper and fill with dry beans. Repeat this process with the other three tart cases. 
8. Preheat the oven to 190c and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and bake for another 5 minutes to get a crispy base.

Rhubarb Puree

1. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan to make a syrup.
2. Trim the rhubarb and cut into inch long pieces. Add to the syrup and gently heat until the rhubarb is tender.
3. Cool the mixture over an ice Bain Marie then strain through a sieve and then blend until completely smooth. Store in the fridge.

Vanilla Custard

1. Soak the gelatin in iced water.
2. Bring the cream to a boil with the split vanilla pod.
3. Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together.
4. Pour the hot cream over the yolks while whisking, pour back into the saucepan and over a medium heat cook the custard out to 82°C.
5. Remove from the heat, add in the leaves of gelatin and stir until melted.
6. Pour the custard through a sieve then allow to cool to room temperature.
7. Pour the custard over the rhubarb puree in the tart cases.
8. Allow to set in the fridge.

Poached Rhubarb

1. Trim the rhubarb and cut into batons.
2. Make a syrup with the sugar and water and poach the rhubarb until tender.
3. Allow to cool and the strain the rhubarb, peel and dice ready for plating.
4. Retain the poaching liquid for the rhubarb gel. 

Rhubarb Sorbet

1. Trim the rhubarb and place on a baking tray.
2. Place a tray of water in the bottom of the oven to create steam.
3. Roast the rhubarb in the oven at 170°C for 15 -20 mins until really soft.
4. Remove from the oven and cover the rhubarb in the sugar and grenadine. Allow to marinate for one hour.
5. Blitz the softened rhubarb mix in a blender until smooth.
6. Pass through a sieve and add the rhubarb juice, mixing well.
7. Allow to cool and freeze the mixture in a plastic container, mixing when needed to stop crystallisation. Alternatively, churn in an ice cream maker.

 Rhubarb Gel

1. Bring the syrup to a boil and whisk in the agar.
2. Bring back to the boil for two minutes.
3. Pour into a container, allow to cool and place in the fridge until set.
4. Cut the set gel into pieces and blitz in the blender until smooth, adding stock syrup and rhubarb juice to taste.
5. Pour into a squeezy bottle or a piping bag ready for plating.

 Constructing the Tart

1. Add one tablespoon of rhubarb puree to the bottom of the tart case, and smooth out into a layer with the back of the spoon. 
2. Fill the rest of the tart case with vanilla custard, then leave to set for 20 minutes in the fridge, or until firm.
3. Place a layer of poached rhubarb over the set custard, and then pipe a few dots of the gel into any gaps.
4. Dress the plate with the tart and more dots of rhubarb gel, and add a scoop of rhubarb sorbet.