Rhubarb and Custard Crumble Tart

Rhubarb and Custard Crumble Tart

25cm tart

Serves 8

Fruit crumble has taken France by storm so I thought it would be fun to combine these buttery crumbs with two other French favourites: fruit tartlets and flan which is a baked custard confection. I used tender, new season rhubarb but feel at liberty to substitute your own favourite seasonal fruit.

Sweet pastry case

• 200g plain flour
• 100g cold, unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 egg
• 50g icing sugar

Custard

• 2 medium eggs
• 300ml whole milk
• 2 tbsp. caster sugar
• ½ tsp. ground cardamom (optional)

 Crumble

• 50g unsalted butter
• 100g self-raising flour
• 50g sugar

 Fruit

• 100g tender rhubarb, (about 2 medium sticks), cut into 1.5cm pieces

Pastry

Place the flour and butter into the goblet of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg, pulse again then if necessary, ice cold water, a tablespoon at a time to bring the mixture together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, lightly knead and roll to line a 25cm quiche dish. Prick the base with a fork and allow to rest for 30 minutes or longer before blind baking (see below).

Custard

Whisk together the eggs, sugar and ground cardamom. Set a small saucepan containing the milk over a medium heat and bring to just under the boil. Slowly pour over the egg mixture, whisking well.  Allow to cool.

Crumble

Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Alternatively, pulse them together in a food processor. Stir in the sugar.

Assembling the tart

Scatter the rhubarb slices over the base of the pastry case using a fine sieve, strain in the custard then finally, scatter over the crumble mix.

Bake for 30 minutes; the custard will have set and the crumble just beginning to brown.

To blind bake

Roll out the pastry and line the quiche dish, pricking the base all over with a fork to allow any trapped air to escape. Scrunch up a sheet of kitchen parchment and lay it followed by special ceramic baking beans, dried beans, pasta or rice on the pastry. Allow to rest for at least 30 minutes then pop into a preheated oven of 200C for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and return the pastry shell to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Blind baking semi cooks the pastry to keep it crisp and stop liquids from leaking