Rhubarb Custards Recipes

RHUBARB CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350. Butter six 5 1/2-inch gratin dishes (1 inch deep), and dust with sugar; arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss rhubarb with 1/4 cup sugar, and divide among dishes. Cover each first with parchment and then with foil, and bake until rhubarb is just beginning to release liquid and soften, about 30 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Puree milk, cream, flour, eggs and yolk, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth. Divide mixture evenly among dishes. Bake, uncovered, until just set, 22 to 24 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes.

RHUBARB CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fit the pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate, fluting the edges, and chill until set, about 15 minutes. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork, and then line the crust with aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake until the edges of the crust are just golden, 20 minutes. Remove the foil with the pie weights and continue to bake until the bottom of the crust is dry and lightly browned, another 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely.
• Toss the rhubarb with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the orange zest and juice until well combined. Transfer to the crust and spread to form an even layer. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Whisk the eggs with the cream, flour and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar until smooth, and then pour over the rhubarb. Bake until the pie is lightly browned, puffed and no longer wet in the center, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Before serving, lightly dust with confectioners' sugar.

RHUBARB CUSTARD BARS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. , Meanwhile, for filling, combine sugar and flour in a bowl. Whisk in cream and eggs. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour over crust. Bake at 350° until custard is set, 40-45 minutes. Cool. , For topping, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth; fold in whipped cream. Spread over top. Cover and chill. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

RHUBARB CUSTARD PIE IV

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spread rhubarb evenly across unbaked pastry shell.
• In a medium bowl combine sugar, flour, and nutmeg. Mix well, then add eggs and milk. Beat until smooth and pour mixture over rhubarb layer.
• Cover edges of pie shell with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Remove foil from crust and bake an additional 10 minutes.

MOM'S RHUBARB CUSTARD TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix 2 cups flour, oats, brown sugar, vegetable shortening, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl until the ingredients are crumbly. Reserve 3/4 cup of the crust mixture in a bowl and press remaining crust mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Spread rhubarb evenly over the crust. Whisk eggs, white sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and 1 pinch of salt in a bowl until smooth; pour the egg mixture over the rhubarb. Scatter the reserved oat mixture over the top. Dust the torte lightly with cinnamon and spread small butter chunks evenly over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center of the torte comes out clean, about 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.

RHUBARB CUSTARD BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9-by-9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving two edges long so they overhang the pan by at least 1 inch. (This is for lifting the bars out later.)
• In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and process until a crumbly dough forms. Press dough into the lined pan in an even layer. Don't clean out the food processor, you're going to need it.
• Bake crust until golden at the edges, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack and raise oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• While the crust is baking, make the filling. In a medium saucepan, combine the rhubarb slices and 1 cup sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat until rhubarb releases its juices. Raise heat and bring to a simmer. Keep simmering, stirring once in a while, until the rhubarb breaks down completely, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the rhubarb and juices to the food processor, and let it sit with the cover off until it cools down a bit, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, lay the very pink rhubarb stalk on its narrower side. From the edge of the stalk, peel a long strip from the stalk. Continue to peel strips from the stalk, flipping it around the other side to keep it even. (This makes it easier to peel, but don't worry too much about getting uniform strips.) Line up peeled strips and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths. Some may curl up, and that's fine. You'll have about 1 cup strips.
• To the food processor, add the eggs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, flour, zest and salt, and pulse until mixture is puréed. Pour into baked shortbread base, and carefully scatter the rhubarb strips on top. It should look a little like confetti. Bake until the filling is set and puffy, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely in the pan.
• Once cool, use a butter knife to cut at the edges of the crust to release them from the pan, then use the parchment "handles" to lift up and transfer the pastry to a cutting board. Cut into 1 3/4-inch squares. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

RHUBARB CUSTARD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with rhubarb and sugar. Slowly pour cream over top. , Bake until golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and mint if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

RHUBARB CUSTARD DESSERT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350F degrees.
• In small bowl, combine all crust ingredients.
• Mix until crumbly.
• Press onto bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking dish.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine all filling ingredients, except the rhubarb.
• Beat at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• With spoon, stir in rhubarb.
• Pour over hot crust and continue baking for 45-50 minutes or until filling is firm to the touch.
• Remove from oven and increase temperature to 400F degrees.
• In large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
• Add salt and vanilla.
• Continue beating while gradually adding sugar.
• Beat until stiff peaks form.
• Spread over hot filling (being sure to seal around edges so meringue doesn't shrink as it cools).
• Continue baking for 6-8 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.
• Cool completely; store refrigerated.

RHUBARB CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Dough: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pea-size pieces remaining. Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water over mixture; pulse several times to combine. Add more water as needed, pulsing until mixture holds together when pinched. Shape dough into a rectangle and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, or freeze up to 3 months; thaw completely in refrigerator before using.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-by-15-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a 9-by-12 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet or a fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, fitting dough into corners and folding over extra to create a double-layered edge. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Line dough with parchment and fill to top with dry rice or beans, or pie weights. Bake until edges are golden and bottom is beginning to dry out, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove parchment and pie weights; continue baking until golden brown on bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes.
• Filling: Meanwhile, cut rhubarb into 11-inch lengths (if some are shorter, that's okay). Using a sharp knife, score rhubarb along rounded sides on a diagonal at 2-inch intervals (this helps heat penetrate and break up the fibers, so the tart is easier to slice once cooked).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, salt, eggs, cream, and vanilla; pour mixture into cooled crust. Arrange rhubarb lengthwise over top, scored-sides up; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Bake until tart is puffed, golden, and just set in center, 45 to 55 minutes.
• Let cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before serving. To serve, run a spatula under tart to release from sheet, then slide onto a cutting board. Cut into squares; serve at room temperature or chilled. Tart is best eaten the day it's made, but can be refrigerated, covered, up to 1 day.

RHUBARB PUDDING WITH CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut fresh rhubarb into 3/4 inch pieces.
• In saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar, orange rind and water.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until rhubarb is tender, about 10 minutes for fresh, 3 minutes for frozen.
• Taste and add more sugar if necessary.
• Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water, stir into rhubarb.
• Cook stirring, over medium heat until mixture thickens and becomes clear.
• Boil gently for about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Transfer to serving bowl.
• Let cool, cover and refrigerate.
• Custard sauce: In a heavy non aluminum saucepan or top of double boiler, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.
• Stir in milk.
• Stir over medium heat, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened slightly.
• Whisk egg yolk, whisk about 1/2 cup of hot mixture into yolk.
• Whisk yolk mixture back into hot milk mixture.
• Cook, stirring, over low heat for about 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
• Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and freshly grated nutmeg to taste.
• Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• To serve, pour sauce over individual servings of rhubarb.

RHUBARB CUSTARD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine 2 cups flour and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs; press into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Mix 2 cups sugar and 7 tablespoons flour together in a bowl. Whisk cream and eggs into sugar mixture until smooth.
• Spread rhubarb evenly over crust. Pour egg mixture over rhubarb.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bars are set, about 45 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until smooth and creamy; fold in whipped topping. Spread cream cheese mixture over rhubarb layer; chill in refrigerator.

RHUBARB & CUSTARD SCONES

Steps:

• Mix the flour, custard powder, ¼ tsp fine salt, the baking powder and sugar together in a large bowl. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Gradually mix in the milk using your hands until you have a smooth dough - you may not need it all. Gently roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 2cm thickness. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking parchment, cover and chill for 30 mins to firm up, or up to 1 hr if you want to get ahead.
• Meanwhile, make the rhubarb compote. Tip all the ingredients into a large saucepan along with 2 tbsp water (omit the water if you're using frozen rhubarb). Simmer over a medium heat for 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb has softened and is almost collapsing, and the mixture has thickened. If you're using frozen rhubarb, you may like to stir in a drop of red food colouring to enhance the pink colour. Transfer the compote to a bowl and leave to cool completely.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and remove the dough from the fridge. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Stamp out three or four scones from the dough using a 7cm round biscuit cutter (see tip below). Arrange the scones on the prepared tray, leaving a 2cm gap between each.
• Roll the remaining dough out again as in step two, then stamp out as many scones as you can (you should get about six in total). Transfer these to the tray as well, then brush all the scones with the beaten egg (see tip below). Bake for 10-12 mins until the tops are golden brown, then leave to cool completely on the tray. Serve with the rhubarb compote and clotted cream. Best eaten the day they're made.