Generated this recipe myself over the weekend, partly as a way to use some of the fairly thin sticks of rhubarb that were starting to hide the path and partly because it has been some time since I have been in the right mood for baking and I thought this would be a good , indulgent, waistline threatening 'snap out of it' dish.
Not difficult and utterly delicious - a symphony of contrasts from the sour tang of the rhubarb to the sweetness of the syrup, the warmth of the ginger and the richness of the almonds... I had it cooled with a bit of whipped cream but reckon it would be just as nice with ice cream or even hot with custard. Could of course use bought in pastry rather than making it.
Rhubarb Bakewell Tart
Use a 23 cm loose bottom pie/flan dish
Sweet shortcrust pastry
200g plain flour
120g cubed chilled unsalted butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
Rub in flour, butter with your fingertips until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs then combine the sugar also. Gradually stir in the beaten egg and use your hands to form a ball.
Or mix the butter, flour and sugar and zap it in a food processor then with the mixer running, slowly trickle in the beaten egg and blend until it forms a ball.
Roll out and line the greased pie dish then let it rest in the fridge for 20 mins or so.
Line the base with a disc of greaseproof and fill with baking beads or dried beans.
Bake for about 10 mins at c170C then tip out the beads, remove the greaseproof disc and put back in the oven for another 5 minutes, making sure the pastry doesn't brown too much.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Bakewell filling
750gm Rhubarb (see note 1. below)
90g unsalted butter – soften slightly in the microwave for 20 secs max
90g golden caster sugar
1-2 tbsp golden caster sugar for the rhubarb
2 med/large eggs
40g Self Raising flour
2-3 tbsp golden syrup (see note 2. below)
70g ground almonds
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp cooking brandy (optional)
Cut the rhubarb into 1-2 cm chunks and sprinkle a little sugar on top, and allow to rest for half an hour or so.
Retain a few chunks of the reddest rhubarb to go on the top.
Spread the golden syrup evenly on the base of the baked pastry case, drain the rhubarb and spread evenly on top of the syrup.
Lightly sprinkle the ground ginger on top of the rhubarb.
Beat the softened butter and sugar until creamy then gradually whisk in the beaten eggs and vanilla essence.
Sift in the flour and stir in lightly together with the ground almonds. Do not over-mix.
Dribble the brandy (if using) on top of the rhubarb then immediately pour the mix on top and smooth off as best you can. Sprinkle the retained red rhubarb chunks onto the top, pushing them lightly part way into the almond gunge.
Bake at 170-180C for 35 mins. until risen and golden brown. Keep an eye on it and if it looks to be getting overdone cover with kitchen foil for the last ten minutes.
Allow to cool slightly then carefully ease out from the flan case/pie dish.
Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, custard or just on its own.
NOTES
1. Best to use thin rhubarb – sticks no thicker than my thumb and seeing as I have lots just now I only used the reddest two thirds of each stick. This dish probably works best on in season rhubarb rather than the more delicate early season forced stuff.
If using a mixture of thicknesses set aside the reddest thin pieces as topping bits, for the look of it.
2. Helps to warm the golden syrup slightly first – it pours and spreads more easily.
3. The rhubarb surrenders liquid in cooking so if not using the entire dish at once, do not be worried that sweet rhubarb syrup appears where the removed slices are!