Rhubarb and strawberry crunch

This recipe comes from Vicki Wild’s partner Martin Benn, chef and owner of Sepia restaurant for a quick and easy dessert to serve to dinner party guests. Inspired by the French pastries of Paris, Martin adapted the original concept into a large tart, featuring more textural crunch for this showstopping dessert.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 90 g slivered almonds
• 90 g blanched almonds, roughly chopped
• 45 g almond meal
• 115 g pure icing sugar, sieved, plus extra for dusting
• 165 g cake or biscuit flour, sieved
• 2 g salt
• 165 g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
• 20 g softened butter, for greasing
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1 bunch thin rhubarb stalks
• Crème fraîche, to serve

Sugared strawberries

• 250 g strawberries, finely chopped
• 20 g caster sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla paste

Resting time: 30 minutes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 175˚C (fan-forced). Combine the slivered almonds, blanched almonds and almond meal in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted. Use your hands or a spatula to gently combine the mixed almonds.
   
2. In a separate medium bowl, combine the icing sugar, flour and salt and whisk to combine. Add the chilled butter and rub through with your fingers until a crumb-like mixture forms. Add this to the stand mixer bowl and mix on medium speed for a few seconds, until the mixture comes together.
   
3. Grease a 20 cm non-stick frying pan (with removable handle) or tart tin with butter on the base and sides, then coat with a layer of caster sugar, pouring out any excess.
   
4. Spread ¾ of the almond base over the bottom of the pan (or tart tin), evenly pressing it out to the sides and base.
   
5. Cut the rhubarb into lengths of the pan, then press a single layer of rhubarb stalks into the almond base. Cover with the remaining almond base, lightly pressing to encase the rhubarb. Bake for 35-40 minutes on a lower rack in the oven until dark golden-brown. Remove and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
   
6. Use a spatula to remove the tart from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. 30 minutes before serving, combine the ingredients for the strawberries in a medium bowl and allow to stand for 30 minutes before using.
   
7. To serve, dust the rhubarb tart with icing sugar and cut into wedges. Drain the strawberries. Divide wedges of the rhubarb tart between plates and spoon over the strawberries. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

Want more from The Cook Up? Stream all the seasons here and for free at SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.