Custard and nutmeg tart with rhubarb and ginger
Rhubarb and custard is an old favourite, but try taking it up a notch with this delicious tart.
You will need a 30cm/12in tart tin.
Ingredients
For the fruit
- 400g/14oz rhubarb
- 250g/9oz caster sugar
- 3 pieces stem ginger in syrup, roughly chopped
- 1 orange, zest only, peeled off in large strips
- 125ml/4fl oz sweet white wine
- 2 blood oranges, juice only
For the tart
- 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made shortcrust pastry block
- flour, for dusting
- 1 litre/1¾ pint double cream
- 2 vanilla pods, split lengthways and seeds scraped out
- 10 free-range eggs
- 250g/9oz caster sugar
- ½ whole nutmeg, grated
Method
For the fruit, put the rhubarb in a baking dish and toss in the sugar, orange zest and ginger. Leave to macerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
For the tart, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Line a 30cm/12in tart tin with the pastry. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork and line the pastry case with a circle of baking parchment or foil and fill with baking beans.
Blind bake the pastry case for 15–20 minutes, or until just lightly golden-brown, then remove the paper and beans and return the tart to the oven to cook for a further 5–10 minutes, or until pale golden-brown and dried out.
Reduce the oven temperature to 110C/90C Fan/Gas ¼.
Pour the cream into a saucepan and add the vanilla seeds and pods. Bring to the boil.
Meanwhile beat the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Pour over the hot cream. Stir in the nutmeg, remove the vanilla pods and mix until smooth. Pass through a sieve and pour into the pastry case.
Bake for an hour, or until the custard is set, but still a little wobbly. Allow to cool for a few hours before cutting.
To cook the fruit, heat the wine and orange juice in a roasting tin. Pour over the rhubarb. Cover with two layers of aluminium foil and bake until just soft – do not boil. Allow to cool before serving.
To serve, cut a slice of the tart and serve the rhubarb and ginger alongside.