Rhubarb And Custard Fool Matt Preston Food

RHUBARB & CUSTARD CRUNCH

Steps:

• First make the Honey crunch granola with almonds & apricots (see 'Goes well with'). You'll need half the granola for this recipe.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Arrange the rhubarb in a roasting tin just big enough to hold it all in a single layer, scatter with the sugar and cover with foil. Bake for 15-20 mins until just tender, then cool in the tin.
• Spoon a little rhubarb into the base of 6 glasses or pots, then top with a couple of tbsp custard. Sprinkle over some granola, then repeat the layers to fill the glasses.

RHUBARB & CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Put the flour, icing sugar and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and mix together. Add the butter and rub together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg yolk, the vanilla and 1 tbsp cold water, and mix together until it just starts to come together as a dough. Tip the mixture onto a clean work surface and gently bring together with your hands. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for at least 1 hr before rolling out. Can be made 3 days ahead, or frozen for 2 months.
• Put the vanilla beans scraped from the pod (or the paste) in a pan over a medium-high heat, add the milk and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, tip the egg, yolks, sugar and cornflour into a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Pour the milk over the egg mixture, whisking to combine. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook, whisking constantly, for 2-3 mins until thickened. Scrape into a bowl and add the butter, mixing until melted and combined. Press a sheet of cling film onto the surface of the custard to stop a skin forming, and chill for 3 hrs. Can be made and chilled 3 days ahead.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a large rectangle big enough to line a 30 x 20cm fluted rectangular tart tin. Roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and carefully drape it into the tin, carefully lifting and pressing into the corners and edges. Roll your rolling pin over the tart tin, cutting off the excess. Chill for 30 mins or until the pastry is firm.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line the tart with a piece of crumpled baking parchment and fill with baking beans or rice and place on a baking tray. Bake for about 30 mins, then remove the parchment and the beans, and return to the oven for another 5 mins or until the base is golden brown. Brush the inside of the tart with the remaining beaten egg yolk and return to the oven for 1 min to set (this creates a seal, meaning the pastry won't become soggy as quickly). Set aside to cool.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put the rhubarb batons in a small roasting tin (so that they are in one flat layer) and sprinkle over the sugar, the vanilla pod and its scraped out seeds, and the orange juice. Roast for 15-20 mins, or until the rhubarb has softened but is still holding its shape and a vibrant pink syrup has formed. Remove from the oven, discard the vanilla pod and allow to cool.
• Remove the custard from the fridge, beat to loosen, then pour over the pastry and smooth with a spatula. Top with the roasted rhubarb, brushing a little of the syrup on top, then sprinkle over the pistachios. Best eaten on the day its made.

RHUBARB AND CUSTARD FOOL (MATT PRESTON)

Steps:

• Trim the rhubarb, cutting off leaves and gnarly ends. Rinse, & slice rhubarb into 5cm lengths. Put the rhubarb into a heavy-based pan with a lid. Pour in the orange juice and stir. Place on a low heat and cook. Stirring occasionally to ensure the rhubarb doesn't stick.
• As rhubarb cooks it will break down and release its juice. Stir in the brown sugar. As soon as the rhubarb has broken down to fine threads remove from heat, add rose water, and set aside to cool.
• When Rhubarb is completely cooled ~ whip the cream until it's stiff. Fold in the cooled rhubarb, then fold in the cold custard. The fool should be marbled with rhubarb and custard.
• Serve in glasses with shards of pine nut praline and a savoiardi biscuit with each glass for dunking.
• To make the praline ~ Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over low heat for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• In a small pan melt the 100g sugar over low heat - allow it to dissolve without stirring. Cook until it is a golden caramel, then mix in the toasted pine nuts. Working quickly, spread out the pine nut praline onto a non-stick baking tray or silicon mat to cool. When the praline is cool, crack into thin shards.