Rhubarb Tart

Directions

Shortbread Crust

1Place the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add the butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

2Combine the egg, cream, and vanilla in a small bowl and add to the flour/butter mixture, while running the machine.  Continue to process until the dough comes together into a ball.

3Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes.

4Preheat the oven to 375° F.  Roll the dough to a thickness of about 3/16-inch.  Place it in the tart pan, trimming away any excess.  Line with foil and ceramic pie weights or dried beans.  Bake for 15 minutes or until just beginning to turn golden.

Frangipane Filling

1Place the butter in a small pan and cook over medium heat until nutty-brown.  Set aside to cool slightly.

2Place the almond meal, sugar, egg, rum, vanilla, zest, almond extract, and salt in a bowl and stir to combine.  Mix in the browned butter, and transfer the mixture to the partially baked tart shell.  Bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until golden brown and set.  Cool completely and top with rhubarb lattice.

Rhubarb Lattice Topping

1Using a mandolin slicer or vegetable peeler, slice the rhubarb long-ways to a thickness of about 1/16-inch.

2Place the water and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a bare simmer, and add 4 or 5 slices of rhubarb.  Cook until slightly softened, then drain on paper towels.  Repeat, until all the rhubarb is cooked.  Reserve the remaining syrup.

3Line up slices of cooked rhubarb side-by-side on a sheet of parchment.  Fold alternating slices up, and place perpendicular slices over, in a lattice pattern.  Repeat until the sheet of lattice is big enough to cover the entire top of the tart.

4Flip the sheet onto the top of the cooled tart, and peel the parchment away.  Trim off any overhang with kitchen shears.  Using a silicone pastry brush, dab the remaining poaching liquid over the lattice to glaze.