Rhubarb and Citrus Frangipane Tart

Our spring garden/summer harvest is taking shape with Duncan's structures of shade tunnels, stakes, trellises and netting evolving almost daily. Fruit is forming on the trees and we will be eating and preserving plums in no time. Concealed underneath apple trees at the northern end of the vegetable garden closest to our house is a planting of rhubarb, a gift from dad years ago. Spotting the crimson rhubarb stalks underneath the apple foliage was the motivation to make Rhubarb and Citrus Frangipane Tart. Frangipane Tart, made with a French almond filling, is such a standby for using fresh or preserved fruit. Tarts are lovely to make and share when you'd like to take something to a gathering because they have a sense of occasion and can be sliced to go a long way. I've made Frangipane Tarts in large round and rectangular pans, as well as small individual round pie dishes, depending on the shape of the fruit you're using and the number of servings needed. You can substitute pear, apple, stonefruit or berries. Enjoy making Rhubarb and Citrus Frangipane Tart and sharing it with friends and family.

Rhubarb and Citrus Frangipane Tart

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

You can use frozen Sweet Shortcrust Pastry and trim the sheets to fit your greased pan, or you can make your own. This recipe makes about 650 g.

What you need - 160 g butter, softened slightly, 120 g icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 250 g plain flour, sifted, 2 egg yolks.

What you do - Add butter, sugar and vanilla to a food processor and blend until combined. Pulse in the flour until the mixture is crumbly, then pulse in the egg yolks. Empty the mixture onto a bench and knead briefly until it forms a dough ball. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Grease your tart pan and press the dough into the base of the pan. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes to harden.

Frangipane Tart Filling

What you need - 200 g butter, softened slightly, 250 g caster sugar, 4 eggs, beaten, 3 tablespoons flour, 300 g almond meal or 300 g blanched almonds ground finely in a food processor, zest of 1 orange, 200 g rhubarb stalks (600 g if making Roasted rhubarb with ginger below).

What you do - Preheat oven to 150 C (fan forced). While the pastry is resting and hardening in the fridge, beat the butter and sugar until combined. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the flour, almond meal and zest and combine. Remove the hardened tart case from the fridge. Pour the almond mixture into the tart case and smooth the top. Remove any rhubarb leaves completely and discard (they are poisonous). Wash hands. Slice the rhubarb stalks into desired lengths. I cut stalks to fit two rows of rhubarb in a rectangular pan for ease of slicing. Press the stalks into the almond filling. Place in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, checking that your tart is firm in the middle. It will brown and rise slightly.

Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Dust with icing sugar. Serve in wedges with cream or ice cream. I had rhubarb stalks left over and made Roasted Rhubarb with Ginger.

Roasted Rhubarb with Ginger

What you need - 2 small bunches of rhubarb, or 400 g, 5 cm piece of ginger, juice of 1 orange, 40 g caster sugar.

What you do - I roasted the rhubarb while the Frangipane Tart was cooking. If roasting separately, preheat oven to 160C. Remove any rhubarb leaves completely and discard (they are poisonous). Wash hands. Cut stems on a diagonal in 6 cm batons. Slice lengthways in half if pieces are very thick. Rinse in a colander. Peel and slice ginger into thin disks. Place rhubarb in a baking pan large enough to hold the rhubarb in a single layer with room around the pieces. Put rhubarb, ginger, juice and sugar in baking pan and massage ingredients together. Place a sheet of baking paper over the rhubarb and then cover tightly with foil. Roast for 10-30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes, being careful not to be burnt by escaping steam. When cooked to your liking, remove from the oven to cool with the baking paper on top. Store the rhubarb covered in the fridge to top on porridge, granola, pancakes or yoghurt. Leave the ginger in the rhubarb mix while storing, but remove before eating.

 

 

 

 

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