Rhubarb Tart (vegan, dairy free, egg free, nut free)

We are in the middle of the rhubarb season in Scotland, and we have eaten a load of it this year. A lovely colleague provided us with some, as well as the usual supply from my parent's garden, so we've eaten plenty of rhubarb crumbles. But I fancied something a bit more adventurous too.  I spotted Chloe Coscarelli's Vanilla Pastry Creme recipe in her book Chloe's Vegan Desserts last year and decided I just had to have a go at making it and using it in this rhubarb tart.  I cannot praise this stuff enough - its so easy and very very very tasty!

Rhubarb Tart

Ingredients
Pastry
225g Plain Flour
130g Dairy Free Margarine (I use Pure Spread, Trex, Cookeen or block Stork)
1 1/2 tbsp of Sugar


Creme Patisserie (Vanilla Pastry Creme by Chloe Coscarelli)

1/4 cup non dairy milk
1/4 cup cornflour or arrowroot
1 can coconut milk - full fat
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Topping

7 stalks of Rhubarb
5 tbsp Sugar
6 tbsp Water



Method

1.  Make the pastry first. Place the flour in a Classic Batter Bowl add the vegetable fat and mix well using a pastry blender, or rub in using your fingers. Once you have fine breadcrumb like texture, add the sugar and stir through.  Add 1 1/2 tbsp of water and mix into a smooth ball. (If it is still a little crumbly add another tbsp more of water.)

2.  Place the dough on a well floured surface. Roll the pastry out to fit your tart tin, and then pick up over your rolling pin and place in the tin. Use your fingers to smooth the pastry up the sides and cut off the edges with a table knife. Place in the fridge to cool for 30 mins.

3. Now make the pastry creme: Mix the non dairy milk and cornflour or starch in a small bowl with a whisk till well combined.  Place the coconut milk and sugar and salt in a pan and heat gently until just bubbling.  Add the cornflour and non dairy milk mixture whisking continuously.  Heat till boiling and boil for two or three minutes until very thick, stir frequently.  Remove from the heat, mix in the vanilla and put into a small batter bowl.  Cover with a layer of cling film on the surface of the creme to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate until cool (this can take up to 3hrs).

4.  Place baking parchment over the pastry and add baking balls, or dry rice and blind bake in the oven at 200°C for 10 mins or until pale golden.  Remove the baking balls and parchment and leave to cool on a rack in the tin while you prepare the filling.

5.  Chop the rhubarb into lengths to fit your baking tin.  Place the sugar, water and chopped rhubarb in a pan and heat very gently for ten minutes until the rhubarb starts to soften.  Leave in the juice to cool.

6.  Once everything is cooled, add creme to the pastry case (you will have spare), and arrange the rhubarb on top.  Drizzle over the syrup from the rhubarb and serve.