Cardamom & Crème Brûlée Tarts with Roasted Rhubarb

If you grew up with a rhubarb patch down the back of the garden, you’ll know it’s one of those nostalgic ingredients that brings back instant memories. While traditional home-grown rhubarb can be a bit tart and stringy, roasting it gently with a touch of sugar transforms it into something truly special.

Pairing that tangy rhubarb with a silky, cardamom-infused crème brûlée filling and a crisp buckwheat pastry makes these individual tarts look like they came straight out of a boutique bakery.

What You’ll Need

For the Buckwheat Pastry

• 220g buckwheat flour
• 30g caster sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 125g cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1–2 tbsp ice-cold water (if needed)

For the Cardamom Crème Brûlée Filling

• 500ml cream (standard or heavy cream)
• 6 large egg yolks
• 45g caster sugar (plus extra for torching the tops)
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• ½ vanilla bean (scraped) or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

For the Roasted Rhubarb & Topping

• 400g fresh rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 4–5cm pieces
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp orange juice (or water)
• 3 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped

How to Make Them

Step 1: Make the Crème Brûlée Filling

1. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together your egg yolks, 45g caster sugar, ground cardamom, and vanilla seeds until combined.
2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to simmer around the edges.
3. Slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking gently as you go so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs!
4. Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (a double boiler). Stir constantly with a whisk or spatula for about 10–15 minutes. Don’t whip it vigorously—just keep it moving and scrape the bottom of the bowl.
5. You’re looking for visual clues here: the custard is ready when it thickens up to a thick pouring consistency and leaves clear trails when you whisk through it.
6. Press a sheet of cling wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming, then pop it in the fridge overnight to fully set.

Step 2: Make the Buckwheat Pastry

1. Pulse the buckwheat flour, caster sugar, and salt together in a food processor a few times.
2. Add your cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
3. Drop in the egg yolk and pulse until the dough starts coming together. If it feels a bit dry or crumbly, add ice water a teaspoon at a time until it holds its shape.
4. Tip the dough out onto a clean bench, shape it into a short log, wrap it in cling wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour.

Step 3: Blind Bake the Tart Shells

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Slice your chilled pastry log into six equal portions. Roll each piece between two sheets of baking paper until it’s about 2–3mm thick.
3. Carefully drape the pastry into six 10cm loose-bottomed fluted tartlet tins, pressing gently into the corners. Trim off any excess pastry.
4. Pop the lined tins back in the fridge for 30 minutes—this stops the pastry from shrinking in the oven.
5. Line each tart shell with a small piece of crumpled baking paper, fill with baking weights (or uncooked rice/beans), and bake for 25 minutes.
6. Remove the paper and weights, then bake for another 5–10 minutes until the bases are golden brown and cooked through. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 4: Roast the Rhubarb

1. Turn the oven up to 190°C (170°C fan-forced).
2. Lay your sliced rhubarb in a single layer in a baking dish. Toss with 3 tablespoons of caster sugar and a splash of orange juice.
3. Roast for 12–15 minutes until the rhubarb is soft and tender, but still holds its shape. Let it cool down to room temperature.

Step 5: Assemble and Serve

1. Spoon or pipe your set custard filling evenly into the cooled tart shells.
2. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of caster sugar over the top of each filled tart. Use a kitchen blowtorch to caramelise the sugar until it turns golden brown and forms that classic crunchy lid.
3. Place the tarts back in the fridge for about 30–45 minutes to let the custard firm up underneath the warm caramelised sugar (don’t leave them too long, or the crunchy top will soften!).
4. Just before serving, top each tart with a few pieces of roasted rhubarb, a drizzle of the roasted syrup, and a scattering of chopped pistachios. Enjoy!

Recipe Found on: https://www.theboywhobakes.co.uk/recipes/2017/2/24/cardamon-creme-brulee-tarts-with-roasted-rhubarb