Rhubarb and Strawberry Tart

Serve this gorgeous tart with clouds of softly whipped cream and you’ll be in heaven.   

Serves 6-8  

1-2 sheets sweet short pastry (or make your own, recipe below)  

1 cup chopped rhubarb 

1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved  

60g butter 

4 TB caster sugar 

1 ½ - 2 eggs (use half egg for pastry as per below)  

1 tsp vanilla essence 

Zest from a lemon  

2 TB flour  

100g ground almonds 
 

1. Preheat  the oven to 200∞C and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. The tart will sit on this hot tray and it helps the base cook to crisp. 

1. Grease a 23-25cm diameter pie dish or tart tin.   

1. Roll out the pastry sheet to fit, pressing it into your tin and 3 cm up the sides. Chill it while you make the filling.  

1. Make the filling by creaming the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Stir in the lemon zest, vanilla essence, flour and ground almonds and mix to a thick paste.  

1. Scatter your fruit over the pastry case and then dollop the almond paste over the fruit - it will spread out evenly whilst cooking.  

1. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the golden brown all over.  

1. Serve warm or cold with fresh whipped cream and a dusting of icing sugar.  

 

Sweet short pastry  

60g butter 

1TB caster sugar  

1 cup flour  

½ egg, beaten lightly   

1TB iced water  

In a food processor, pulse the chilled butter with the sugar and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and water and pulse some more until it comes together if pinched between your fingers. Add a little more iced water if you need to.  

Bring it together into a ball and briefly knead on a floured board. Pat out into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. For easy of handling, roll out on a sheet of baking paper dusted with flour. Short pastry patches well too so don’t fret over tears or holes!