Who doesn’t love the mellow tones and enduring enthusiasm of Nigel Slater… I certainly do. His TV programmes are a joy to watch even if he does seem to have far more useful leftovers in his fridge than I ever do! This recipe of his, for Fast Rhubarb Tart, is something I am going to knock up again for pud tomorrow – can’t wait.
Fast Rhubarb Tart
Ingredients serves 2/3
FOR THE ROASTED RHUBARB:
5-6 stalks rhubarb
good shake of light brown sugar
FOR THE TART:
frozen ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry, defrosted
1 tsp butter, for greasing
flour, for dusting
2 large organic eggs, separated
2 tbsp unrefined caster sugar
250g/9oz tub mascarpone
2-3 drops vanilla extract
How to prepare
For the roasted rhubarb, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Cut the rhubarb into 15cm/6in or so lengths (about the length of a wooden spoon-handle) and place in a roasting tin with half a tea-cup of water and the light brown sugar. Roast until just soft enough to take the point of a knife, about 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool, then drain, reserving the cooking juices.
For the tart, preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Unroll the puff pastry, and using a rolling pin, roll it again to make the pastry slightly thinner. Cut the pastry into three even-sized rectangles. Using a sharp knife, score a 1.5cm/½in border around each rectangle, being careful not to cut through the pastry. Place the pastry rectangles on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Arrange 3-4 lengths of drained rhubarb, depending on the thickness of them, into the middle of the pastry rectangles and brush some of the reserved juice from the roasted rhubarb around the edges to give the pastry a shine. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden and risen.
Meanwhile beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl for a few seconds, until thoroughly mixed. Beat in the mascarpone until you have a custard-coloured cream. Stir in a little vanilla extract; a couple of drops should be enough. With a clean whisk, beat the egg white in a clean bowl until it stands in stiff peaks, then fold into the creamed mascarpone mixture.
Serve the mascarpone cream with the warm rhubarb tarts. Any remaining mascarpone cream can be served the following day with berries or used to top meringues served with fruit.
STOP PRESS: Even though I slightly burnt the edges of the pastry, this Fast Rhubarb Tart was actually rather good…I had some pastry left over so did one with bananas (sprinkled with brown sugar) which was also delish. I did not put the egg in the cream as per Nigel’s recipe because I couldn’t be arsed, just added vanilla drops and some caster sugar to the marscapone. A drop of rum or brandy would have been a good idea too, but too late now, the tarts went fast!! Grace x
MORE RHUBARB RECIPES HERE
