Rhubarb White Chocolate Elderflower Tart (Printable)

Crisp tart shell with white chocolate elderflower custard and roasted rhubarb. A make-ahead spring dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tart Crust

01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1 large egg yolk
05 - 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water
06 - Pinch of salt

→ Custard Filling

07 - 5.3 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 3 1/3 tablespoons whole milk
10 - 1/4 cup elderflower cordial
11 - 3 large egg yolks
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Rhubarb Topping

14 - 10.6 ounces rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2-inch batons
15 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
17 - 2 tablespoons elderflower cordial

# Directions:

01 - In a food processor, pulse flour, butter, powdered sugar, and salt until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water; pulse until dough begins to come together, adding more water if needed. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out dough on a floured surface to fit a 9-inch tart tin. Press into tin, trim edges, and chill for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line crust with parchment and baking beans; blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove beans and parchment, bake 5 to 7 minutes more until golden. Cool completely.
02 - In a saucepan, heat cream and milk until steaming but not boiling. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl until pale. Slowly pour hot cream mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan over low heat, stirring until slightly thickened and coating the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and elderflower cordial; stir until smooth. Pour custard into cooled tart shell. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour until set.
03 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange rhubarb batons in a single layer in a baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar, lemon zest, and drizzle with elderflower cordial. Cover with foil and roast for 15 minutes. Remove foil, roast 5 to 8 minutes more until tender but not falling apart. Cool completely.
04 - Arrange cooled rhubarb over set custard. Optionally, brush with a little extra elderflower cordial for shine. Chill until ready to serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like something from a bakery window but comes together with everyday techniques and a little patience.
  • The floral sweetness of elderflower mellows the sharp rhubarb in a way that feels perfectly balanced, not cloying.
  • You can make every component ahead, so there's no frantic assembly before guests arrive.
02 -
  • Don't skip chilling the dough before rolling, warm dough tears and shrinks in the oven, and you'll end up patching holes.
  • Temper the egg yolks slowly when making the custard, if you dump hot cream in all at once, you'll get sweet scrambled eggs instead of silk.
  • Watch the rhubarb closely in the oven, it goes from perfectly tender to mushy in minutes, and mushy rhubarb turns the tart into a mess.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when pressing the dough into the tin, overworking it makes the crust tough instead of tender.
  • If your custard looks grainy after adding the white chocolate, blend it with an immersion blender for 10 seconds and it will turn silky.
  • Let the tart come to cool room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing, it makes cleaner cuts and the flavors open up.
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