Pistachio tart with poached rhubarb
Homemade pastry, a frangipane-style pistachio filling and shocking pink rhubarb on top makes for a perfect dinner party dessert.
For this recipe you will need a 30cm/12in tart tin.
Ingredients
For the poached rhubarb
- 500g/1lb 2oz rhubarb, cut into finger length pieces
- caster sugar, to cover
- 1 orange, peeled and juice
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds removed
For the pastry
- 350g/12oz plain flour
- 250g/9oz unsalted butter
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú icing sugar
- 3 free-range egg yolks
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
For the filling
- 250g/9oz salted butter
- 200g/7oz crushed pistachios
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú ground almonds
- 250g/9oz caster sugar
- 2 free-range eggs
- pinch sea salt
To serve
- 140g/5oz crème fraiche
- 2 tbsp crushed pistachios
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3½.
Place the rhubarb in a roasting tray and sprinkle with sugar until well covered. Add the vanilla pod with scraped seeds and the orange peel and juice. Let the rhubarb sit for about 30 minutes, or until it starts to let out its own juice and creates a little syrup in the tray.
Roast for 20 minutes or just until the rhubarb is soft to the touch. Set aside and allow to cool.
To make the pastry. Tip the flour and butter into a food processor and mix until it starts to resemble breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and mix again. Add the egg yolks, one by one, mixing until the dough comes together.
Turn the processor off – you don't want to overwork the pastry. Tip out onto the kitchen surface and roll the dough into a sausage, wrap in cling film and freeze for 2 hours until solid.
Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
Once the dough is frozen, grate it into a 30cm/12in tart tin. Start by pushing the dough into the edges of the tart tin – I push mine into the grooves, working from the bottom up. Push the pastry into the gaps until the tart tin is completely covered. Poke loads of holes in the base with a fork to stop the pastry from rising. Leave the dough around the rim, as it can be trimmed once the tart is baked. Chill briefly in the fridge.
Once chilled, line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Cook the tart case for 25–30 minutes until the rim starts to colour.
Remove the baking beans. Egg-wash the pastry with the beaten egg and bake for a further 20 minutes until it's completely brown. Allow the tart case to cool, then remove it from the tin and set aside while you prepare the filling.
Increase the oven temperature to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
For the filling, it's best to use a food processor with a paddle attachment for super-fluffy results. Whip the butter until it's nice and smooth, then add the nuts and sugar and mix on a fast speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Add one-third of the egg to the filling mixture and mix, then turn the processor off and scrape down the sides so everything is incorporated. Repeat this process until you're out of egg. The mixture should be light and fluffy. I season mine with a little crack of sea salt, so everything sings a little more.
Transfer the filling to your room-temperature tart case and level it out. Poke in the cherries and bake for 45 minutes until the edges are super-golden and there’s a slight wobble in the middle. Leave to cool for 30 minutes in the fridge before cutting.
Serve the tart with the rhubarb and a dollop of crème fraiche and sprinkle of crushed pistachios.
