2. JR RYALL’S RHUBARB TARTLETS
JR Ryall is the passionate young pastry chef at Ballymaloe House, who creates the sweet trolley for which Ballymaloe is justly famous. His tartlets are truly delicious, best served warm for afternoon tea or pudding.
Makes approximately 36 tartlets Cold Cream Pastry
This pastry is super delicious and really easy to make, even for those who are convinced they have hot hands. Best made on the day before so it’s well chilled and easier to roll out. This pastry keeps in the fridge for up to six days.
Ingredients:
● 150g (5oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
● 150g (5oz) fridge cold salted butter
● 150ml (5fl oz) cold cream Method:
Sift the flour into the bowl of an electric food mixer.
Cut the butter into 5mm (1/4 inch) small cubes and rub into the flour using the paddle attachment until the mixture forms a coarse texture (slow speed and then a little faster).
DO NOT overmix, if you do the mixture will form a shortbread-like ball!
Pour the cream into the coarse mixture (it will resemble a sloppy mess) and mix on a low speed until a smooth pastry forms — it will come away from the sides of the bowl. Wrap the pastry sprinkled with flour in parchment paper and chill overnight.
Tartlet ingredients:
● Cold cream pastry
● 450g (1lb rhubarb sliced into 3mm thick discs
● Demerara sugar
Method:
Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Always roll cream pastry straight from the fridge — it must be well chilled. If the pastry comes to room temperature it will be too soft to handle.
Using plenty of flour, roll the cold pastry to a thickness of 2mm (1/8 inch). Cut the pastry with a 7.5cm (3 inch) round cutter and use the discs of pastry to line three standard shallow bun trays.
Cut the rhubarb into slices 3mm thick and arrange on each disc of pastry. Place a rounded teaspoon of demerara sugar on top of the rhubarb in each tartlet. Bake the tartlets for 15-20 minutes or until the sugar begins to caramelise and the pastry is golden brown. Remove the tartlets from the bun tray while still hot — use a palette knife — and place on parchment paper which has been sprinkled with caster sugar.