Rhubarb Frangipane Tart - Two Different Ways

I know you are probably bored with my seemingly relentless stream of rhubarb recipes, these two are almost the last ones, I promise.

Both of these recipes are fairly low faff and can be made even simpler by buying ready made pastry or pastry cases.  I made my shortcrust pastry from scratch, mainly because I am on a tight budget, but also because it was raining and I couldn't be bothered trekking to the supermarket just to by pastry when I could make it in the time it took to buy some.  I used puff pastry from my freezer as life is too short to faff making that by hand!

Rhubarb Frangipane Tart
Using fresh rhubarb and shortcrust pastry

125g unsalted butter, softened

125g caster sugar

125g ground almonds

2 free-range eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

25 g Plain flour

8 stalks rhubarb, cut into pieces

50 g Caster sugar, extra

Use the pastry case recipe from this post if you fancy making your own shortcrust pastry, otherwise use shop bought pastry or a ready made pastry case.

Preheat your oven to 170C/150C Fan.

Put the softened butter, sugar, ground almonds, eggs, vanilla and flour into a mixing bowl and mix until well combined.

Spread the frangipane mixture over your blind baked or ready made pastry case.  Arrange the rhubarb on top of the frangipane in whichever pattern takes your fancy.  Sprinkle over the extra caster sugar then bake for 60 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and just set.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, or at least half an hour if you are in a rush, before removing from the tart tin.

Rhubarb Frangipane Tart
Using rhubarb compote, jam or curd and puff pastry

125g unsalted butter, softened

125g caster sugar

125g ground almonds

2 free-range eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

25 g Plain flour

8 stalks rhubarb, cut into pieces (optional)

50 g Caster sugar, extra

500g puff pastry
rhubarb compote or jam (If you want to make rhubarb curd the recipe is below.)

Rhubarb curd

600g rhubarb, washed and trimmed then cut into 1cm slices

4 large free range eggs

200g butter, diced

2 Tblsp cornflour

175g caster sugar

Put the rhubarb into a large ovenproof dish and bake for 30 minutes at 180C/160C Fan.

Tip the rhubarb and juice into a large sieve and squeeze as much of the juice out as you can.  If your sieve is small do this in batches.  Make sure you keep all of the juice.

Put 250ml of the rhubarb juice into a saucepan with the eggs, butter, cornflour and sugar.  Heat very gently, whisking constantly until the curd starts to thicken and bubble.  Don’t be tempted to have the heat too high or the mixture will curdle.  The curd will be quite thick at this point.

Stir in between 100ml and 200ml more rhubarb juice until your curd is to your taste and the consistency that you want it to be.  Pour into sterilised jars, seal with lids, then keep in the fridge.

To make the tart:

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan.  Roll out the puff pastry to 2mm thick and line a 25cm loose bottomed tart tin with it.  Bake blind for 15 minutes at 180C.

Remove the baking beans and baking paper. Put the softened butter, sugar, ground almonds, eggs, vanilla and flour into a mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Spread a layer of rhubarb jam, compote or curd over the pastry base. Put small spoonfuls of frangipane close together over the rhubarb curd then gently spread them together without disturbing the rhubarb curd underneath.

If you are using the fresh rhubarb arrange it on top of the frangipane in a pattern then sprinkle over the extra caster sugar. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until the frangipane is golden brown and set. Let the tart cool completely before you remove it from the tin.