Rhubarb Raspberry Compote & Lemon Frangipane Meringue Tart

I always jump at the chance to use some Rhubarb. It’s one of my favourite ingredients and try to fit it into everything when its in season. The tartness from the Rhubarb marries really well with the sweet Raspberries in this tart. Layer in some nutty Almond Frangipane and its a perfect match. Little do you know its all sitting under that beautiful glossy meringue top.

Ingredients 

Pastry:

165g unsalted butter, softened

100g Icing sugar

1 medium egg

275g strong flour

Pinch salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

Compote:

150g rhubarb

100g raspberries

50g sugar

Juice of half a lemon 

Frangipane:

65g unsalted butter, softened

65g icing sugar

1 medium egg

80g ground almonds

10g custard powder

Zest of 1 lemon 

Meringue:

180g egg white

360g sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberries, to garnish 

Toasted flaked almonds, to garnish 

Method

Pastry: cream the butter, icing sugar & vanilla together until combined. Add in the egg & mix to combine. Add in the flour & salt. Mix into a dough, wrap in clingfilm & refrigerate overnight.

Compote: place all ingredients into a pan over low heat. Cook until softened. Refrigerate until cool.

Frangipane: cream the butter & sugar until combined. Add in the egg & mix to combine. Fold through the ground almonds, custard powder & lemon zest. Refrigerate until needed.

Assembly: prepare a baking tray with parchment for your tart. Roll out the pastry to 3mm thickness. Line a 6 or 8inch tart ring, trimming off the overhanging top edge. Prick the base & refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 160C. Lay a piece of crumpled parchment into the tart & fill with baking beans or rice. Blind bake for 15 minutes until pale & dry. Remove the baking beans & cool for 10 minutes. 

Spread the frangipane into the tart, filling it half full. Bake for a further 15 minutes, or until golden. Leave to cool.

Spread the compote in an even layer to fill the tart.

Meringue: Place the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Place the sugar into a saucepan and add a little water (until it resembles wet sand.) Place over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites on medium-high speed until they reach medium-stiff peaks. Cook the sugar until it reaches 121C on a digital thermometer. Carefully pour the hot sugar down the inside of the stand mixer bowl while keeping it whisking on medium speed. Careful not to hit the whisk or you will create spun sugar! Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to high until the meringue is cool and stiff.

Place the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a St. Honore nozzle and pipe over the top of the tart in ribbons. Using a blow torch, torch the meringue until golden. Garnish with raspberries and toasted flaked almonds. Serve.