This is a light, but flavourful, apple & rhubarb tart recipe, making it the perfect dessert for spring. Look for the reddest rhubarb possible to get a wonderful pop of colour. To make a vegan version, use a non-dairy puff pastry and substitute a vegan milk for the egg wash.
Full preparation
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Preheat the oven to 220ºC/fan 200ºC/gas mark 7.
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Place the rhubarb, sugar and 5 tbsp water in a small saucepan. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat until soft and falling apart. Taste and add a little more sugar if desired. Cool then set aside a third of the rhubarb mix. Blend the remaining two thirds in a food processor or with a hand blender. Return to the saucepan. Mix 1½ tsp of the cornflour with a drop of water to form a paste then add to the pan. Cook gently until the mixture thickens slightly then cool.
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Cut the apples into 2-3 mm thick slices and remove the core. Using a small cookie cutter, cut out shapes (use any shapes you have).
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Unroll the puff pastry and place on a baking tray. Taking care not to cut through the pastry completely, score a border using a sharp knife, approximately 1.5cm in from the edges. Spoon over the cooled rhubarb purée, staying within the scored border. Smooth into an even layer. Top with the apple shapes.
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Brush the pastry border with the egg, being careful not to drip it over the sides of the pastry. Place in the oven for around 20 minutes until the pastry is nicely browned.
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While the tart is baking, make a rhubarb glaze: tip the remaining rhubarb into a fine sieve above a bowl and collect the juice (use a spoon to force out the last few teaspoons). Put the juice in the saucepan. Mix the remaining cornflour with a little of the rhubarb juice and add to the pan. Cook until the juice is slightly thickened. If it is too thick, loosen with a little water.
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When the tart is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Then, using a pastry brush, gently brush with the rhubarb glaze. Serve with your favourite accompaniments and enjoy!
