rhubarb and blood orange go together so well, I really love the bright pink early forced rhubarb that I used for this but I’m sure it will be yummy with outdoor grown rhubarb too. this tart screams the beginning of spring to me.  it has a layer of rhubarb and blood orange jam at the bottom, then some crème patisserie with blood orange zest folded through it and it is topped with the rhubarb lattice. to make the rhubarb workable first you need to thinly slice it using a mandolin then blanch it in boiling water for about 30 seconds to a minute and it will soften so its easy to lattice with. I love the ombre effect the rhubarb has. it looks like a fiddly tart but it is no harder to make then a lattice pie really.

recipe

pastry

• 100g cold butter
• 210g plain flour
• 2-3 tbsp. cold water
• pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp. sugar

rub together the butter, flour, salt and sugar then add the water and mix until it comes together into a ball. let rest covered for at least 20 minutes. pre heat the oven to 180c 350f. flour the work surface and roll out the dough so it fits your tart tin. then cut off excess pastry and line with baking paper and fill with baking beans and bake the tart shell for 20 minutes then remove the paper and beans and bake for another 10. (you can make a decorative edge like I did if you want be sure to brush it with a beaten egg)

make jam

• 2 stalks of rhubarb
• 2 blood oranges
• 1 cup jam sugar

cut the rhubarb and add to the pan. zest the orange and set aside for the crème patisserie, then segment the orange and add to the pan with the sugar and let bring to a rolling boil. once reduced and thickened remove from the heat and leave to cool

make crème patisserie

• 3 egg yolks
• 500ml milk
• 200g caster sugar
• 1 tsp corn flour
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• zest from two blood oranges

in the pan add the milk and vanilla and heat on a medium heat until it reaches the bowl, mean while place a bowl on a tea towel and add the egg yolks, sugar and corn flour and slowly pour in a small amount of the hot milk while whisking with the other hand then add a bit more and continue until it is all added this will temper the eggs so they don’t cook, place back on the heat and continue mixing constantly until it is thick enough that it coats the back of the spoon. pour through a sieve then stir in the orange zest and place an piece of plastic wrap onto it so it doesn’t get a skin and leave to cool.

rhubarb lattice

thinly slice about 6 rhubarb stalks with a mandolin then heat a pan of water, once it reaches the boil drop in the rhubarb for 30 seconds to a minute in batches and place on a tea towel to absorb the excess liquid. place a piece of plastic wrap on the work top then place the rhubarb in strips and lattice it like you would pastry then place another piece of plastic wrap on top and cut a circle so it will fit on the tart. (I just found the plastic wrap was a good way to keep it together). fill tart shell with cooled jam and then a layer of cooled crème patisserie and then flip the lattice on and trim off any excess. you can glaze the rhubarb if you want.