Some combinations work better than others and this one is made in heaven. This recipe has a few more steps than usual but I feel the need for a little something special. Perhaps it's the weather?
Rhubarb and custard tart
Serves 12
Pastry
225g flour, plus extra for dusting
pinch of salt
150g cold butter, grated
75g sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
blind-baking beans or rice for cooking base
Custard
750ml cream
12 egg yolks
100g sugar
2 nutmegs, grated finely
¼ cup rhubarb jam *
Pastry
Put the flour and salt into a medium-sized bowl and add the cold grated butter, rubbing in quickly with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and yolk and mix to combine. Squelch together with your fingertips and turn out on a board. Mould together to form a round, cover in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Using a 25cm removable bottom flan tin, roll the pastry out on a lightly floured bench until 2mm thick all over. Carefully lift into your tin, allowing it to fall into the edges. Gently press the dough into the edges and sides, ensuring you have no cracks or holes. If you do, fill the gaps and cracks with a little more dough. Chill again in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 170degC.
Remove from the fridge and place on a baking tray, line with baking paper and fill at least two-thirds full with blind-baking beans or rice. Make sure you get right into the edges, as this will result in an even and tidy tart shell. Bake for 15 minutes, then check if the pastry is firming up and has started to colour up a little. If not continue cooking for a further 5-10 minutes. Remove the paper and blind-baking beans/rice. Brush all over the base and sides with the egg yolk, as this will ensure the filling doesn't run out. Return back to oven for a further 5 minutes.
Turn the oven down to 130degC.
Custard
Bring the cream to the boil and remove from the heat.
In a heatproof bowl whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and slowly pour in the cream, whisking all the time. Strain through a fine sieve and pour into a jug.
Spoon over the rhubarb jam and place the tart back into the oven, then carefully and slowly pour in the egg custard.
Sieve over the grated nutmeg and bake gently for 25-35 minutes or until the custard has set around the outside and slightly wobbles in the centre.
Remove from the oven and refrigerate for at least two hours before cutting.
*My rhubarb jam recipe was published on page 21 of the ODT on April 15, 2015.
• Alison Lambert is one of the demonstrators at the Otago Farmers Market in Dunedin on Saturday mornings.
