Makes about 750 g/1 lb
To make the pastry, put the butter, sugar, lemon zest and almond extract in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and cream together at a medium speed until light and fluffy. Alternatively, you can do this in a food processor. Mix in the egg and yolk.
Sieve together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then beat into the butter mixture until a loose dough forms, it will look a bit like a cake batter but don’t worry!! Scoop the dough out into clingfilm (plastic wrap) and lay flat in the fridge for at least a few hours (or preferably overnight).
Note that when lining the tart case here you need to work really fast because this dough is really buttery and soft: take the dough out of the fridge and cut a third off, put this back in the fridge as this will be the lid. Roll out the rest of the dough on a well-floured work surface to 0.4-cm/1/4-inch thick.
Line a 25.5-cm/10-inch round (2.5-cm/1-inch deep) tart case with the dough and put it in the fridge.
Pipe the crème pât in an even layer into the tart case, then dot over the rhubarb in an even layer, leaving about an 1-cm/3/8-inch gap between.
Roll out the rest of the pastry into a circle slightly bigger than the tart case (0.4-cm/1/4-inch thickness again). Place over your tart case and slide your thumb over the edges of the pastry to seal the top to the sides all the way around. Trim off any excess pastry. Rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan/190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.
Score a criss-cross pattern across the top of the pie with a fork in traditional gâteau Basque fashion, if you like. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in the oven for 45–60 minutes until the top is really nice and golden. Allow to cool in the pan before removing, slicing and serving. This pie is best cooked and eaten on the same day, however, it can be assembled 1 day before baking. The dough can be wrapped and kept in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Classic thick custard: crème pâtissière
Stir together the milk with the vanilla pod and half of the sugar in a saucepan and place over a medium heat.
Mix the rest of the sugar with the cornflour, then whisk this into the egg yolks by hand until pale and slightly fluffy.
When the milk is steaming hot and just about to come to the boil (do not let it boil), pour a quarter of the hot liquid over the yolks and whisk thoroughly. Add the rest of the milk in quarters, whisking well after each addition.
Pour the mixture back into the pan over a medium heat and stir with the whisk for about 3 minutes until it starts thicken. Once it starts to thicken, whisk faster until it starts bubbling and then whisk the bubbling custard over the heat for at least 1–2 minutes until nicely thickened. If you feel it’s getting too near to boiling at any point, then just take off the heat for a moment and continue whisking.
Remove the vanilla pod and remove the custard from the heat. Pour/scrape into a bowl or onto a tray so it cools faster. Cover the surface of the custard directly with clingfilm (plastic wrap) to stop it from forming a skin as it cools. Once cool, refrigerate until ready to use.
If it’s a bit lumpy or split, then use a hand blender to knock out those lumps.
Makes about 750 g/1 lb
To make the pastry, put the butter, sugar, lemon zest and almond extract in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and cream together at a medium speed until light and fluffy. Alternatively, you can do this in a food processor. Mix in the egg and yolk.
Sieve together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then beat into the butter mixture until a loose dough forms, it will look a bit like a cake batter but don’t worry!! Scoop the dough out into clingfilm (plastic wrap) and lay flat in the fridge for at least a few hours (or preferably overnight).
Note that when lining the tart case here you need to work really fast because this dough is really buttery and soft: take the dough out of the fridge and cut a third off, put this back in the fridge as this will be the lid. Roll out the rest of the dough on a well-floured work surface to 0.4-cm/1/4-inch thick.
Line a 25.5-cm/10-inch round (2.5-cm/1-inch deep) tart case with the dough and put it in the fridge.
Pipe the crème pât in an even layer into the tart case, then dot over the rhubarb in an even layer, leaving about an 1-cm/3/8-inch gap between.
Roll out the rest of the pastry into a circle slightly bigger than the tart case (0.4-cm/1/4-inch thickness again). Place over your tart case and slide your thumb over the edges of the pastry to seal the top to the sides all the way around. Trim off any excess pastry. Rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan/190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.
Score a criss-cross pattern across the top of the pie with a fork in traditional gâteau Basque fashion, if you like. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in the oven for 45–60 minutes until the top is really nice and golden. Allow to cool in the pan before removing, slicing and serving. This pie is best cooked and eaten on the same day, however, it can be assembled 1 day before baking. The dough can be wrapped and kept in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Classic thick custard: crème pâtissière
Stir together the milk with the vanilla pod and half of the sugar in a saucepan and place over a medium heat.
Mix the rest of the sugar with the cornflour, then whisk this into the egg yolks by hand until pale and slightly fluffy.
When the milk is steaming hot and just about to come to the boil (do not let it boil), pour a quarter of the hot liquid over the yolks and whisk thoroughly. Add the rest of the milk in quarters, whisking well after each addition.
Pour the mixture back into the pan over a medium heat and stir with the whisk for about 3 minutes until it starts thicken. Once it starts to thicken, whisk faster until it starts bubbling and then whisk the bubbling custard over the heat for at least 1–2 minutes until nicely thickened. If you feel it’s getting too near to boiling at any point, then just take off the heat for a moment and continue whisking.
Remove the vanilla pod and remove the custard from the heat. Pour/scrape into a bowl or onto a tray so it cools faster. Cover the surface of the custard directly with clingfilm (plastic wrap) to stop it from forming a skin as it cools. Once cool, refrigerate until ready to use.
If it’s a bit lumpy or split, then use a hand blender to knock out those lumps.
