How do I prevent the pastry cream from becoming lumpy?

Whisk continuously without stopping once the custard goes over the heat. The most common cause of lumpy pastry cream is inattention during the thickening stage when the eggs are beginning to cook and can scramble if the bottom of the pan gets too hot. Keep the heat at medium-low and whisk constantly. If small lumps do appear despite continuous whisking, pour the hot custard immediately through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl to catch and remove them.

Can I use ready-made pastry for the tart shell?

Yes. A good quality ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry from the supermarket can be used in place of the homemade almond pastry for a significantly faster preparation. The flavor will be slightly less complex and nutty without the almond flour but the finished tart will still be beautiful and genuinely delicious. Line the tart pan, blind bake with weights for 15 minutes, remove weights and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden, and proceed with the filling as directed.

What should I do if my rhubarb breaks down too much during poaching?

Slightly overcooked rhubarb that has broken down significantly still makes an excellent compote through mashing as described in the recipe. The texture becomes smoother and more jam-like when the rhubarb is very soft and while this is different from a compote with distinct rhubarb pieces it is equally delicious spread over the pastry cream. If you prefer more textural rhubarb, reduce the poaching time to 4 to 5 minutes and check with a knife. It should be tender but still hold its shape.

Rhubarb Custard Tart Easy Elegant Spring Dessert Recipe

Name: Rhubarb Custard Tart The Most Elegant and Beautiful Spring Dessert You Will Make
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: PT-497460H44M1S
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 large Egg for pastry 1/3 cup Powdered Sugar; 1.4 oz Almond Flour; 1.3 cups All-Purpose Flour Pinch of Salt; 3.5 oz Unsalted Butter very soft 1 1/2 cups Whole Milk for pastry cream 2 1/2 tbsp Cornstarch 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar for pastry cream 3 Egg Yolks 1 lb Fresh Rhubarb trimmed and cut into sticks 2 cups Water 2/3 cup Granulated Sugar for compote 1 Lemon juice and peel 1 Cinnamon Stick 6 Star Anise

Description

The most elegant Rhubarb Custard Tart made with a buttery almond pastry shell filled with silky smooth vanilla pastry cream and topped with a fragrant spiced rhubarb compote. A beautiful make-ahead spring dessert that looks and tastes like a French patisserie creation you can make entirely at home.

Ingredients

Scale

1 large Egg for pastry

1/3 cup Powdered Sugar

1.4 oz Almond Flour

1.3 cups All-Purpose Flour

Pinch of Salt

3.5 oz Unsalted Butter very soft

1 1/2 cups Whole Milk for pastry cream

2 1/2 tbsp Cornstarch

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 tbsp Granulated Sugar for pastry cream

3 Egg Yolks

1 lb Fresh Rhubarb trimmed and cut into sticks

2 cups Water

2/3 cup Granulated Sugar for compote

1 Lemon juice and peel

1 Cinnamon Stick

6 Star Anise

Instructions

1. Beat very soft butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Add egg and mix. Add almond flour and salt. Fold in flour until just combined.

2. Roll dough between parchment sheets into a disk. Refrigerate 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 10-inch tart pan with rested pastry. Prick base. Freeze 10 minutes.

4. Bake 20 to 30 minutes until fully golden and dry. Cool completely.

5. Heat milk with vanilla until just boiling. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.

6. Pour hot milk slowly into yolk mixture while whisking. Return to saucepan over low heat.

7. Whisk continuously until thickened into a smooth glossy custard.

8. Pour into bowl. Press plastic wrap against surface. Refrigerate until cold.

9. Combine water, sugar, lemon peel and juice, cinnamon, and star anise. Bring to gentle simmer.

10. Add rhubarb and poach 5 to 10 minutes until very soft.

11. Remove rhubarb with slotted spoon. Discard spices and peel. Mash into compote. Cool completely.

12. Spread cold pastry cream into cooled tart shell.

13. Spread rhubarb compote evenly over pastry cream.

14. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Dessert, Tart
Method: Baking
Cuisine: French, American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 380
Sugar: 28g
Sodium: 85mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 7g
Cholesterol: 145mg

Keywords: rhubarb custard tart, rhubarb tart recipe, pastry cream tart, elegant spring dessert tart recipe