Rhubarb Tart

Chef Philippe’s rhubarb tart layers sweet almond shortcrust pastry, almond cream and rhubarb compote beneath strips of cooked rhubarb. The compote uses peeled, chopped rhubarb, while separate stalks supply the patterned surface.

Softened butter and icing sugar are mixed before whole egg, flour, ground almonds and fine salt form the pastry. The flattened dough is rolled between two sheets of baking paper and chilled; the separate rhubarb stalks are trimmed, sliced into strips, sprinkled with caster sugar and baked until softened.

The chilled dough forms a square tart base and sides, then is chilled again and blind-baked. Almond cream is made by whisking a separate portion of softened butter and caster sugar with ground almonds and egg, adding whipping cream and flour, then piping it into the shell and baking until lightly golden.

Gelatin powder is hydrated in its own portion of water. Peeled rhubarb cooks with caster sugar and another portion of water until it becomes a purée and excess water evaporates; optional red colouring and the hydrated gelatin are stirred in before the cooled compote is spread over the cooled almond cream.

The pre-cooked rhubarb strips are arranged over the compote and trimmed to the tart’s edges. The finished tart is kept chilled until serving, with an optional thin layer of neutral mirror glaze brushed over its surface.