I offered to bring dessert for a dinner we were invited to, and I thought that with all that beautiful rhubarb in my garden, I should make use of it. Rhubarb pie was a possibility, or rhubarb crumble, but both seemed a little homely, even though I wanted to keep it simple. One of my favorite quick desserts is this Apple Custard Tart, which manages to be elegant and simple at the same time. But rhubarb gives up a lot of liquid when cooked, so I couldn't just add it to the tart raw.
I came across this recipe for Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Alsatian Rhubarb Tart, in which he tosses the rhubarb with sugar and lets it drain overnight, then bakes it slightly on its own before baking it in the tart. It may sound fussy, but it didn't take much extra effort, and it prevented the tart's becoming a runny mess (to be clear, I only used the method for the rhubarb, not the entire recipe).
I will assume that most everyone who decides to make this tart already knows how to make a pie or tart crust, so I won't go into detailed instructions. My standard recipe is essentially a pâte brisée, but with a little more butter than is customary. I use more or less sugar depending on the application (sweet or savory).
Many pie/tart crust recipes give instructions for preparation in a food processor. I've never been happy with the results, so I make it by hand on a big marble slab, cutting in the butter and water with a bench scraper, then blending the dough with the heel of my hand – a classic French technique called fraisage. It takes me about 5 minutes (and saves me having to lug the food processor out of the cupboard).
This is a great little video of a handsome young Frenchman putting together a pâte brisée. Don't worry if you don't understand French, just watch and learn (he uses an egg yolk; I don't).
The tart calls for about 2 pounds of rhubarb, which looks approximately like this (I have kind of big hands for a girl):
Golden Cream Rhubarb Tart
NOTE: the rhubarb needs to drain overnight, so plan to start a day ahead.
Makes one 9-inch tart that serves 8.
Rhubarb prep:
2 lbs. fresh rhubarb stalks
2/3 cup sugar, divided
Crust:
1 1/2 cups unbleached AP flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons ice cold water
Filling:
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 cup heavy cream
The night before you plan to make the tart, cut the rhubarb crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces and toss it in a bowl with 1/3 cup of the sugar. Transfer it to a colander and put the colander in a bowl to catch the juice. Put the bowl in the refrigerator overnight.
To make the tart:
For the crust, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt, then cut or blend in the butter using your tool of choice (pastry blender, bench scraper, fork, fingers). Quickly mix in the ice water and blend gently to combine. Knead the dough lightly, then gather it into a ball and flatten it into a disk. Wrap in plastic or parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment. Remove the rhubarb from the refrigerator and press or squeeze it to remove as much additional liquid as possible. Toss the rhubarb in a bowl with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, then spread evenly on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then set aside to cool (leave the oven on).
Roll out the dough into a 14" circle and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork, then line with foil or parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans (I keep a plastic tub filled with about 2 pounds of dried beans that I use just for blind-baking...I've used the same beans for over 20 years). Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the weights and liner and bake for another 10 – 15 minutes, until just lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt, then whisk in the cream.
Spread the cooled rhubarb around the bottom of the tart shell, then pour in the cream mixture. (The filling should come to just below the rim of the tart shell, with about 1/8" of the rim showing. Don't fill higher than this or the cream may run over during baking.)
Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cream is just set at the middle and beginning to color in spots. Cool on a rack, then remove the tart from the pan to a serving plate. Allow the tart to cool completely before serving, but serve at room temperature.
To scale this up for a 12-inch tart, use 2 1/2 lbs of rhubarb with a cup of sugar, 1 3/4 cups flour and 12 tablespoons of butter for the crust, and 5 yolks, 5 TBSP sugar, and 1 1/4 cups cream for the filling.
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