Tart stalks and sweet baked tart
Breakfast or dessert – this combination’s sweet any time of day. By Nicola Galloway.
Spring blossoms and magnolia flowers are bringing vibrant pops of colour around the neighbourhood. I also spy maroon rhubarb stalks and know it is time to visit my sister’s garden where the plumpest deep red rhubarb grows.
I am informed it receives very little intervention so can’t offer guidance for rhubarb success.
However, I can share some ideas for its use.
Orange-kissed roasted rhubarb
Roasting rhubarb is my preferred cooking method when it comes to preparing these tart stalks.
The dry heat concentrates the flavours, with the added bonus that less sugar can be used, compared to stewed rhubarb. I rarely add a sweetener when cooking fruit (unless I am making jam), but let’s face it, rhubarb is so teethtinglingly tart it needs sweetness for balance.
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Makes about 600g
About 600g rhubarb stalks Juice from 1 orange, about 4 tbsp, strained
3 tbsp brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fanforced).
Cut the rhubarb stalks into 8cm lengths and place in a roasting tray. Add the orange juice and 2 tbsp of the sugar and toss to combine. Arrange the rhubarb in a single layer in the tray then sprinkle with the remaining tbsp of sugar.
Roast for 15 minutes until the rhubarb is tender. Leave to cool in the tray then transfer to a container and store in the fridge. Consume within 5 days.
Baked yoghurt tart with toasted muesli base
This yoghurt tart is a lighter take on baked cheesecake.
Ricotta could also be used, although I find yoghurt is more economical for the quantity required, especially if using homemade yoghurt.
I used unsweetened yoghurt, but if you only have sweetened on hand, then halve the quantity of honey or sugar used in the custard.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 50 minutes Serves 8-10
Muesli base
50g butter
1 tbsp honey
1 3⁄ cups (about 200g) toasted muesli* –
4
I used homemade muesli containing oats, coconut, seeds and nuts
1 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of salt
Yoghurt custard
500g thick Greek-style unsweetened yoghurt
3 eggs
4 tbsp honey or 1⁄ cup (70g) sugar
3
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of one orange
* If toasted muesli is not available use 1 cup rolled oats, 1⁄ cup desiccated coconut
2 and 1⁄ cup sunflower and/or pumpkin
4 seeds
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Grease a 25cm glass or ceramic tart dish.
Prepare the base. Place the butter and honey into a saucepan and gently melt together. Remove from the heat.
Place the toasted muesli, ground ginger and salt into a food processor and process until roughly ground. Add the melted butter and honey and pulse until combined.
Tip the base mixture into the tart dish and use your fingers and/or the back of a spoon to evenly press into the base and 3cm up the sides of the dish. Smooth off the edge so it is an even height around the dish.
Bake for 10 minutes to pre-cook the base – this step can be skipped, but it does make for a crispier base.
Clean the food processor bowl and use again to blend the yoghurt, eggs, honey/sugar, flour, vanilla and orange zest until smooth, making sure the sugar is dissolved, if using.
Pour the yoghurt mixture over the hot pre-cooked base. Bake for 35-40 minutes until just set – a little wobble is OK as the custard will set as it cools.
Once the tart is cool, place in the fridge to chill. Serve wedges of the tart with roasted rhubarb (or other stewed fruit) on the side. Keep in the fridge and consume within 3 days.
Nicola Galloway is an award-winning cookbook author, sourdough bread tutor and homegrown enthusiast. homegrown-kitchen.co.nz