Rhubarb, rosewater & custard tart

SERVES 8 / PREPARATION 30 MINUTES / COOKING 25 MINUTES

Custard pies always remind me of school, where they were a tuck shop treat; this is a far more sophisticated version. If you would like your rhubarb to keep its shape, check after about 15 minutes as it will go from firm to mushy quickly.

500g rhubarb

200g caster sugar

1 teaspoon rosewater or orange-flower water 300ml whole milk

125ml cream

4 eggs, one separated

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

¼ teaspoon salt

1 x 23-24cm sweet crust pastry shell,

uncooked (see recipe below) dried or fresh rose petals to garnish (optional)

Heat the oven to 200°C.

Cut the rhubarb into pieces and place in a baking dish. Cover with 75g of the caster sugar. Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes until soft. Cool, then sprinkle over the rosewater or orange-flower water.

Put the milk and cream in a saucepan and heat to just before the boil. Put the 3 eggs plus the extra yolk, 125g

sugar, the vanilla and salt in a bowl and whisk together. Pour over the hot milk, whisking continuously.

Brush the bottom and a little up the sides of the pastry with the egg white and put in the oven for 1 minute to set, remove then pour in the custard mix. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until it’s still just a little wobbly. The pastry may get dark around the edges, so you can cover the edges with a collar of foil if you like.

Cool and top with the rhubarb before serving, garnished with rose petals if you wish.