Rhubarb bakewell tart

March is the month for rhubarb, I’m told, and any excuse for rhubarb is good enough for me. This recipe unites two of my fondest loves, bakewell tart and rhubarb. The one thing I don’t really like about bakewells is the cheap jam – I’m not a big jam fan. So I was inspired by the God of Rhubarb himself to use a compote instead of jam. Green Lanes in London is a wonderful place to get practically any ingredient, and I was optimistic that I’d find fresh rhubarb, but no. Mangoes, pineapples, star fruit, yes, humble rhubarb, no. So I had to buy a tin; next time, though, I mean to use fresh. I was really pleased with the results – the tart is moist and has just enough rhubarb tanginess (even from the tinned stuff). However, you should eat it on the day you make it, as the compote soon makes the pastry soggy.

Ingredients 
 
For the compote:
  • 450g rhubarb
  • 25g caster sugar (or more to taste)
For the tart:
  • Shortcrust pastry (ready to roll, don’t judge me)
  • 125g unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 125g ground almonds
  • 3 free-range eggs
  • ½ teaspoon almond essence
  • Plain flour for dusting and rolling

Method
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / gas mark 6.
  2. Wash the rhubarb and chop it into little chunks.
  3. Put the rhubarb in a pan with the 25g of sugar and two tablespoons of water.
  4. Simmer over a medium heat, stirring often, until the rhubarb is soft. Use more sugar if you like it sweeter. If the rhubarb hasn’t broken down into a delicious gloop, then mash it up a bit. Set aside to cool down.
  5. Grease a metal pie dish that’s 25cm across, and fairly deep. Then dust the interior all over with plain flour. This will help you get the pie out of the dish later.
  6. Roll out the pastry and line the pie dish with it. Prick the base all over with a fork. Keep the pastry trimmings.
  7. Melt the butter, then leave it to cool slightly.
  8. Beat the eggs, add the almond essence, then add 125g of sugar and beat it all together.
  9. Mix in the melted butter, followed by the ground almonds.
  10. Spread the rhubarb compote over the base of the pie.
  11. Spread the almond mixture over the top, making sure that all of the rhubarb is covered.
  12. Roll out the pastry trimmings and cut out some shapes (I used a star-shaped cutter). Gingerly float these shapes on the top of the tart.
  13. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. It’s done when the filling has risen slightly, everything is golden brown and just plain heavenly-looking.
  14. Leave the tart to cool on a wire rack (I use the one from the grill tray), then, put a plate upside-down on top of the tart. Turn the pie dish and plate upside-down, and if the God of Rhubarb is feeling benevolent, your tart will plop wholeheartedly out of the pie dish. Then put another plate upside-down on the base of the pie, flip again and admire your own genius (that’s what I did).
  15. Serve with crème fraiche and modest remarks about how you just ‘rustled something up’.
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