A Rhubarb & Custard Tart Recipe from Social Pantry

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour has a new, permanent restaurant in the Design Avenue. Design Restaurant by Social Pantry features an all-day dining menu offering everything from a healthy breakfast to informal lunches: everything is prepared on site with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients and frequently changing menus.

To celebrate the opening, the restaurant has shared one of its recipes. With rhubarb season about to begin, what better way to use this ingredient than in a rhubarb and custard tart?

Design Restaurant by Social Pantry is open Monday – Friday, 8.30am – 5pm. For more information and to book, click here.

Rhubarb and Custard Tart (serves 12)
This rich and creamy custard tart is delicious with the tang of new season rhubarb. The tart uses lots of egg yolks, so portion the whites into freezer bags ready weighed out for meringues and amaretti.

For the sweet pastry:
125g butter
1 egg
250g plain flour
85g icing sugar
1tsp vanilla extract

For the filling:
700g double cream
13 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp dried hibiscus
500g forced rhubarb
100g water
80g sugar

To make the pastry, put the flour and the icing sugar in a food processor, dice the cold butter and add to the mixer. Blend lightly until the butter is incorporated into the flour and sugar mix. Add the egg until the mix comes together. Remove from the mixer and wrap in reusable beeswax wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Line a deep 23cm tin with the pastry and blind bake with baking beans at 150°C for 45 mins to an hour until fully cooked.

To make the filling, add the cream and hibiscus to a saucepan and slowly heat, adding half the sugar gradually.

In a separate metal bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and slowly add the hot cream to the yolk; whisk until combined and smooth.

Carefully pour the mixture into the baked pastry case and cook at 130°C for 45–55 mins, ensuring the middle has a slight wobble when removing from the oven. Leave to fully cool in the tin.

To make the rhubarb compote, chop the rhubarb into 3cm pieces and place into a pan with the water and sugar, and poach gently until tender.