About the Recipe
An English classic and James' favourite dish to make.
Ingredients
For The Pastry
250g Softened Butter
150g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
500g Plain Flour
For The Custard
700ml Double Cream
300ml Full Fat Milk
1 Vanilla Pod (scraped)
250g Good Egg Yolks
160g Caster Sugar
For The Rhubarb
30g Orange Juice
30g Caster Sugar
Preparation
Step 1 - The Pastry
Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and a little flour. Add the rest of the flour and season and bring together in a doughy crumbly ball. Push together but don’t overwork, then divide into two, cling film and rest overnight. Bring to room temperature and roll into a sheet the thickness of a pound coin, then line a tart ring set on a heavy tray lined with trimmed parchment paper. Rest and chill for minimum 30 minutes, then blind bake at 160c for around 20-30 mins. Plug any gaps with pastry and egg wash with yolk, finishing off in the oven. Allow to cool. Drop the oven to 100c
Step 2 - The Custard
Heat the dairy to simmer with the vanilla pod and seeds. Whisk the yolks with sugar then pour in the cream mix a little at a time. Allow to stand for a few minutes then skim and pass through a chinois. Skim again and pour into tart case. Cook at 100c for 50mins or so, until it wobbles slightly but will set when cool. Allow to cool right down but do not refrigerate. Trim the edges of the pastry but keep the ring on until service.
Step 3 - The Rhubarb
Trim the rhubarb and cut into 8cm batons. Vac pac with the orange juice and sugar and cook at 58c for around 30mins. Ice bath until cool.
Step 4 - Assembly
Use a hot knife and blowtorch, cut the tart with precision. Open and drain the rhubarb, then cut into nice looking pieces. Serve the tart on a plate with a pile of the rhubarb.