Seduction in Pink
Spring is playing coy with the city. She’s standing at the doorway and sending mixed signals. Flashes of heated passion followed by a cold shoulder. Dressed pretty in Valentino pink and bidding her time to make a grand entrance.
There are traces of her presence around the room though. Violas, narcissi, and blue bells are speckled across Stockholm. The magnolias and cherry blossoms are showing off their white and pink crowns shamelessly. The very first wild garlic, new potatoes, asparagus, and rhubarb sitting comfortably, side by side, on the grocer’s shelves.
One grey morning last year in London, spring came to me at Pophams. The rosiest of rhubarb spiced with black pepper and strips of lemon thyme shortbread sat upon a golden custard – all nestled within flaky and buttery dough. Least to say, breakfast was a short affair that day. Gone as quick as she came, and what an impression she left.
Each time April rolled along, I remembered her with the vivid reds and blushing pink stalks of rhubarb. Stew them with cardamom into a compote and serve them with porridge for less dull mornings. Whip up a lemon posset and pair it alongside roasted stalks with some orange zest. Or simply blanket them under layers of crisp, airy pastry and then, slathered with a generous amount of custard.
Custard, no matter its form, brings out the child in all of us. Whether its a freshly baked Dan-tat (or Hong Kong egg tart), a wobbly crème caramel, or a good old bread and butter pudding, there’s something homey and comforting about it.
Despite its simplicity, a custard tart always incite ‘oohs and ahhs’ when brought to the table – especially if topped with an intricate weave of rhubarb stalks. When you cut through, there are the layers of different textures: roasted, compote, and jelly. The stalks are intensely pink like the blossoms and the custard a light buttery yellow reminiscent of a warmer sun. Each slice is a palette of spring, even if she hasn’t really arrived yet.
As I write this, the temperature outside remains at a single digit. The arctic winds still blow hard. It is difficult to know when the city would experience a full-blown spring. She would probably turn up late to the party. And that’s when it will truly come alive. B
Rhubarb Custard Tart
Rhubarb and custard are a match made in heaven. This was inspired by a Danish I had at Pophams in London. The crimson stalks are prepared two ways: simmered into a compote and tinged with black pepper, the other roasted slowly in lemon-scented sugar. Steeped with sprigs of lemon thyme, the golden custard adds another savoury note in this sweet treat.
Makes a 20cm tart
Notes
On the tart dough: This tart uses a pâte sucrée, a hardy biscuit-like casing with a sandy texture. You can definitely use frozen pastry available in the supermarket.
On ground almonds: To make ground your own almonds, soak the raw drupes in scorching hot water. You can easily slip their coats off with your fingers after soaking a couple of minutes. Use a spice grinder or a food processor to pulse them into a fine flour consistency.
On rhubarb: Choose firm and the most vibrant stalks of the same width, if possible. Cut off the leaves as they are poisonous. If you can get your hands on the forced variety from Yorkshire, do so – they are indefinitely sweeter.
Ingredients
For the tart
250g plain flour
95g icing sugar
1 egg
150g unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
30g ground almonds
¼ tsp sea salt
½ vanilla pod, seeds only
For the rhubarb compote
500g rhubarb
80g caster sugar
40ml water
½ lemon juice
¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
½ tsp sea salt
For the roasted rhubarb
600g rhubarb
30g caster sugar
1 lemon zest
For the custard
300ml whipping cream (35% fat)
6 egg yolks
35g caster sugar
8 sprigs thyme
For the jelly
25g rhubarb, offcuts
10g caster sugar
100g water
2 gelatine leaves
Equipment
20cm tart mould
Rolling pin
Stand mixer (optional)
Directions
Make the tart dough
In separate bowls, sieve the flour and icing sugar. Break the egg into another bowl.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy and light.
Turn the speed of the stand mixer down to low. In this order, add the icing sugar, ground almonds, salt, vanilla seeds, egg, and last but not least, the flour.
Mix until the batter comes together into a ball. At this point, stop the mixer to avoid overworking the dough. We don’t want to lose its delicate sandy texture.
Wrap the dough with clingfilm and flatten it slightly. Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Make the rhubarb compote
Clean any impurities from the rhubarb stalks and cut them into 5cm pieces.
In a medium saucepan, combine the rhubarb pieces with water, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Let it come to a boil and then, lower down the heat to medium low immediately.
Cook for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until most of the moisture has evaporated, stirring regularly. You should get a thick paste that is soft in texture, but firm enough to hold on its own.
To test its readiness, you can try making a quenelle with a spoon. If it holds its shape, the compote is done. Set aside to cool.
Parbake the tart
This is optional: brush the tart case lightly with butter. Let the rested dough sit in room temperature until it’s supple enough to work with. Rolling hard, cold dough will leave cracks.
On a clean work surface, dust it lightly with flour and roll the dough out quickly into a 25cm circle, about 3mm thick. To prevent the dough from sticking on the surface, rotate it clockwise with each roll or even flip it over. Dust more flour, if necessary.
Using the rolling pin, lay the rolled out dough over the tart case and press it firmly into the mould. Do not stretch or it will encourage shrinking when baking.
Allow at least 1cm of overhang over the edges, cutting out the rest. Cover the tart with clingfilm and let it rest in the fridge for another hour.
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Unwrap the tart case and cover with baking paper. Add your preferred pie weights (such as beans, rice, ceramic or metal balls – I like using sugar), making sure they weigh down the bottom and the sides of the tart.
Slide it into the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the baking paper and pie weights. If there are any cracks or holes, brush some beaten egg over lightly. Bake for another 5 minutes.
Let it cool on a wire rack.
Roast the rhubarb
In a large bowl, use your fingers to rub together the lemon zest and sugar until fragrant and slightly moist. Let it sit and infuse for about 10 minutes.
Cut the clean rhubarb stalks into equal 5cm batons and toss them with the infused sugar. Macerate for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 150°C.
Using a lined baking dish, transfer the rhubarb batons evenly and add any macerated juice, if any. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for about 20 minutes, until tender but not falling apart.
Remove the foil and set aside to cool.
Make the custard
In a large saucepan, warm the cream and thyme over low heat until it reaches 50°C.
In another large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together.
Pour the hot cream over the beaten eggs in a steady stream, whisking continuously to prevent curdling. Pass the custard through a fine sieve and leave to rest for about 5 minutes. Skim off any foam that will form on the top.
Bake the tart
Preheat the oven to 110°C.
Carefully fill the tart case with the custard and transfer to the oven to bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Check at the 35-minute mark on its readiness. There should be a slight wobble in the centre of the custard.
Let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Make the rhubarb jelly
Bloom the gelatine leaves in a bowl of ice-cold water for about 20 minutes.
In a small saucepan, bring sugar, water, and the rhubarb offcuts to a boil and then, cook on medium heat for another 10 minutes to release flavour and colour.
Squeeze any water out of the blossomed gelatine leaves and add them to the pink liquid. They will dissolve almost instantly and bring it to a bowl again.
Strain the jelly liquid through a sieve and set it aside until ready to use.
Assemble the tart
Using an angled spatula, spread the rhubarb compote over the cooled custard tart as evenly as possible.
Lay the roasted rhubarb batons into a neat tessellation of your choice, cutting any to fit into the tart.
Brush the stalks liberally with the jelly and allow it to set. You can also – very carefully and in a covered cake case – transfer it to the fridge to let the jelly set quicker.
Serve with coffee or champagne.