Rhubarb Tarte Tatin
Up in the mountains, winter has hit in full force. This week it has felt not so much like a cold ‘snap’, but a cold whack in the face. It’s decidedly nippy and the wind has been fierce. Beautiful orange, red and brown leaves still carpet the ground – so I’m clinging on to that autumnal feeling – but the trees are now mostly bare and look slightly embarrassed to be left out in the cold.
The upside to the cooler weather though has got to be the increased acceptability of cosying-up indoors with something warm and sweet at the end of the day – that’s one of the great joys of winter, right?
Speed and deliciousness are sometimes a tall-order at the end of the day, but this quick rhubarb and rose tarte tartin definitely delivers on both counts. Ready from start to finish in 30 minutes and needing only a dollop of thick custard or vanilla ice cream (or both!) to ensure maximum enjoyment. This dessert is best eaten warm, soon after it’s made – giving you the only excuse you’ll ever need to eat the lot in one sitting. Spoons at the ready…
Rhubarb Tarte Tatin
(serves 4-6)
Ingredients
1 bunch rhubarb, washed and trimmed (about 300g)
120g or ½ cup caster sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
25g unsalted butter
3 tsp rosewater
1 sheet pre-rolled butter puff pastry
Thick custard or vanilla ice cream, to serve
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 200˚C fan-forced.
- Cut rhubarb into lengths to fit snuggly in one layer in the bottom of your pan (you will need a 20cm frypan that can go in the oven). Take rhubarb out of the pan again and set aside whilst you make your caramel.
- To make caramel, place sugar and lemon juice in pan and place over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, watch the caramel carefully and let it come to a medium amber colour before removing from the heat and adding the butter and rosewater and swirling to combine.
- Add rhubarb lengths to the pan in one layer, taking care not to burn your fingers on the hot caramel.
- Cut puff pastry sheet into a rough circle, slightly bigger than your pan. Place on top of the rhubarb and caramel, tucking the excess pastry in around the edges.
- Cut a small vent in the middle of the pastry and place in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes – or until pastry is puffed and golden and the caramel is bubbling.
- Allow cooling in pan for 5 minutes or so before carefully turning out onto a plate (take extra care whilst doing this as the caramel may burn).
Serve warm with thick custard or vanilla ice cream (or both!).
