RHUBARB AND CLOTTED CREAM TART

This is a simply stunning and simple dessert to make. The hero – rhubarb, is taken to a whole new level by the clotted cream and the beautiful pastry. Thank you Christine Manfield for sharing your fantastic creation. The sweet pastry in this recipe is truly delicious. By the time I had made the dough, I was already anticipating how fantastic it would be!

From the book Paramount Desserts by Christine Manfield.

RHUBARB AND CLOTTED CREAM TART

INGREDIENTS

Sweet Pastry

80g icing sugar
125g plain flour
75g unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
2 egg yolks
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds only

Filling

12 stalks rhubarb
100g castor sugar
30 ml fresh lemon juice
300g clotted cream

METHOD

Sift icing sugar and flour into bowl of food processor.
Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add egg yolks and vanilla bean seeds.
Blend until the dough just comes together.
Remove from processor, wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Roll out pastry on a cold, floured surface until about 3 mm in thickness.
Line tart tin trimming excess and refrigerate pastry for 30 mins before baking.
Preheat oven to 160C.
Blind bake tart shell until crisp and pale golden. (Should take about 10-12 mins for small tart tins).

Wash rhubarb and cut stalks into 3cm lengths for small tarts, 5cm for regular tart tins.
Cook rhubarb with castor sugar and lemon juice in a frying pan over gentle heat until rhubarb is soft but still holding its shape.
Remove pan from heat. Strain reserving the juice. Allow rhubarb to cool.
Reduce juice over heat until it thickens slightly.

To serve
Mix half of the cooled rhubarb with clotted cream and and spoon into tart shells.
Arrange remaining rhubarb on the cream and spoon some of the reduced liquid over and serve.