25cm cooked pastry case ( I usually cheat and buy fresh shortcrust pastry and line a loose bottomed flan case. I then take about one tablespoon of icing sugar and rub into into the raw pastry which when cooked makes the pastry taste like a rich sweet shortcrust – the French pate sablee. Then blind bake in the usual way
60ml double cream
1 vanilla pod
4 thin stems of angelica about 8cm long 1 large egg
200g rhubarb trimmed and cut into 2cm lengths
90g castor sugar
1 tablespoon of plain flour
oven 180°
Pour cream into a small saucepan and add vanilla pod and half the angelica. Bring to the boil and immediately remove from the heat and leave to infuse for a least 30 minutes. The flavour intensifies if you leave for longer.
Whisk the egg with sugar until it is thick and creamy, sift flour into the mixture and mix well. Strain the cream into the egg mixture and mix.
Cur the remaining stems of angelica into short pieces ( about .5cm ) Layer the rhubarb and angelica over the base of the pastry case – try and make sure the rhubarb is cut end up as this makes a more attractive look when the tart is cooked.
Pour the custard cream and egg mixture) over the rhubarb and angelica and bake for about 35-40 mins at 180° until the filling is firm.
Can be served warm or cold and a little pouring cream takes into another realm of deliciousness.
Variation
If life is too busy for pastry cases then you can grease a grating dish thoroughly and add the rhubarb and angelica and top with the filling. this is a lovely pudding but the crispness of the pastry in the full recipe is worth the effort!