Merrill’s Rhubarb Custard Tart

  in Desserts, Recipes

Custard 
1 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream 
½ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk 
1 cup rhubarb juice (we used a juicer, can be achieved by blending and straining 3 stalks) 
8 egg yolks 
1 cup cane sugar, divided
Crust 
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 
1 ¼ cups cold unsalted butter 
4 teaspoons sugar 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
6-8 tablespoons ice water 
Topping 
1 stalk rhubarb 
2 cups water 
1 1/2 cups cane sugar 

  1. Bring rhubarb juice to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until liquid reduces by almost half, for about 10 minutes. Cool until ready to use.
  2. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes and freeze for 10 minutes.
  3. Add flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the chilled butter and pulse 5-10 times until pea size chunks of butter are left. 
  4. Turn on processor and add water, then immediately stop the processor and finish kneading by hand.
  5. The dough should be very shaggy (not fully incorporated.) Knead together until dough can be formed into a ball. Press into a thick disk. Wrap disk in plastic wrap and chill for 10 minutes.
  6. Heat oven to 350°F. Roll the dough disk out to a 1/4-1/8 inch thick circle and press into a 9 inch tart or pie pan. Line the inside of the crust with foil and pie weights and bake for 15-20 minutes until crust is baked through. 
  7. While the crust is baking, combine the heavy cream, milk, rhubarb juice, and half the sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn off heat.
  8. Combine the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a large bowl. Slowly add the cream mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until smooth. Set aside. 
  9. Remove crust from oven and lower the temperature to 300°F. 
  10. Add the custard to the crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the custard is set and barely wiggles. Cool in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  11. For the topping: use a mandoline if you have one, to thinly slice the rhubarb cross-wise. 
  12. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil; add the rhubarb and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lay the cooked rhubarb slices flat on a piece of parchment paper to cool. Arrange the pieces decoratively on the cooled custard.