Raspberry Rhubarb Tarts

Instructions

Rhubarb Curd

1. Wash your rhubarb and trim off any ends that are too tough. In a medium saucepan, cook the rhubarb, sugar, and 1/4 cup water over medium heat until the rhubarb pieces are cooked tender and fall apart. This takes a while, so have patience.
2. Blend the mixture smooth with a handheld blender or wait until it is room temperature and blend in a stand-up blender or press through a strainer.
3. Put a few inches of water in a double boiler and simmer over medium heat. In the bowl of the double boiler, mix together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, butter and lemon zest. Whisk it together until all the sugar has dissolved and then slowly add the warm rhubarb in small amounts to temper the egg yolks.
4. When all the rhubarb is mixed in, place it over the simmering pot. Stir until warm and thickened. This will take some time so be patient. When finished set aside. (This can be made in advance and stored in the fridge in an air tight container for about a week.) Also, depending on your rhubarb, your curd can be quite a brown color instead of pink. I like to add a bit of pink food coloring to give it the pleasant color I desire, which is totally optional.

Shortbread Crust

1. Whisk the flour, powdered sugar, lemon zest and salt in a large bowl until well blended. Then add the butter in chunks and cut it in until the mixture is consistently coarse.
2. In a small bowl mix together the egg yolk, water, and vanilla until combined. Then slowly add it to your flour mixture until the dough comes together in a ball.
3. Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the fridge for an hour or more.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Roll the dough out to about 3/16 of an inch and place it in your greased, 4.75-inch tart pans, trimming away any excess. Using a fork, poke some holes in the bottom of your pans. Next, place parchment paper on your pans and fill with baking weights or dry beans to weigh down your dough for baking. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until they are starting to turn a light golden brown.
5. Remove from the oven and take out the weights and the parchment paper. Return to the oven for 5 minutes to lightly brown the bottom. If your dough rose to much in the oven you can flatten it down with a rounded spoon while it is warm. Then, spoon in your rhubarb curd until it reaches just under the top of your pastry crusts. Once they are filled with curd place them back in the oven at 375 degrees fahrenheit to be baked for another 10 minutes or until they are wobbly in the center, but not the edges, when jiggled gently.
6. Remove them from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Now you can top them with some fresh raspberries if desired all along the top. I like to place the raspberries while the tarts are warm so they sink in a bit and then become secure as you chill the curd. After they have cooled to room temperature, remove them from the pans and place them in the fridge to chill and set for at least one hour.
7. Before serving dust with powdered sugar if desired.