RHUBARB & CUSTARD TART

Serves 8

1 x quantity of sweet pastry (see panel below left), baked blind in a rectangular tart tin of approx 36 x 12cm or a 23cm round tin

5 egg yolks

200g (7oz) golden caster sugar

1tsp vanilla bean paste

400ml (14fl oz) whole milk

40g (1½oz) cornflour, whisked

with 50ml (2fl oz) cold milk

15g (½oz) unsalted butter

400g (14oz) rhubarb, cut into 11cm

pieces to fit the tin widthwise

A pinch of cinnamon

50g (1¾oz) chopped pistachios Prepare the sweet pastry shell according to the recipe in the bottom left corner – except you will need to cook the pastry for 25 minutes for the first blind bake, then 15 minutes without the beans as the tart will not be baked again with the filling. Make sure the pastry is a nice biscuit brown colour.

Make the custard. In a medium bowl whisk together the egg yolks, half the sugar and all the vanilla. Heat the milk to just below boiling. Put the egg yolk mixture in a bowl and whisk the hot milk in, then pour into the pan. Add the cornflour and mix. Bring to the boil then gently simmer for 2 minutes, whisking all the time, until thickened. Tip the custard into a bowl. Cover with clingfilm so a skin doesn’t form. Leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease a baking tray with the butter, place the rhubarb on it and sprinkle with the remaining sugar and the cinnamon. Bake for 12 minutes, until it’s just cooked and still holds its shape. Leave to cool.

Spoon the cooled custard into the tart shell and smooth over. Arrange the rhubarb decoratively on top, reserving any juices. Pop into the fridge for an hour to firm up. To serve, sprinkle with pistachios and drizzle with the reserved juices.