Rhubarb Speculoos Tartlets
đź›’Ingredients (Grocery List)
For the Speculoos
1 1/2 cups all-purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
10 tbsp unsalted Butter, at room temperature
2/3 light Brown Sugar
For the Crust
7.5 ounces Speculoos
Pinch of Sea Salt
5 tbsp unsalted Butter, melted
For the Rhubarb
3/4 cup Water
1/2 cup Vanilla Sugar
1 inch piece fresh Ginger, peeled and diced
1/2 Vanilla Bean
11 ounces Rhubarb, rinsed and trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
For the Cream
1 cup Crème Fraîche or Heavy Cream
2 tbsp Vanilla Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
🍴Serves: 6
⏰Prep Time: 20 min
⏱️Cook Time: 10 min
🥣Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the dry ingredients onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper. Cream the Butter and Sugar together in a bowl of an electric mixer until is pale yellow and light. With the mixer set at low speed, add the Flour mixture to the Butter mixture and mix just until a dry, crumbly dough is formed. Otherwise, add the dry ingredients all at once to the Butter mixture and mix with a wooden spoon, until they are combined.
2. Turn out the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and shape it into a rectangle with your hands. Lay another piece of parchment paper over the dough and carefully roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Even the edges of the rectangle as best you can, then cut the dough into 3-by1-inch strips. Don’t be concerned if some of the rectangles aren’t exactly that size. Transfer the dough rectangles to the prepared baking sheets and bake until they are golden, about 12 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Prepare the Crust: Place the speculoos in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the Salt, process once or twice, then turn into a medium bowl and mix in the melted Butter until you have a sort of dough.
5. Place six 3-inch pastry rings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and press equal amounts of the dough into each one, using a metal soup spoon to press them so they are even around the edges. Make a slight indentation in the center. Place in the center of the oven and bake until they are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
6. Prepare the Rhubarb: Place the Water, Vanilla Sugar, ginger, and the Half Vanilla bean in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat so the syrup is boiling, whisking from time to time, until the Sugar is dissolved. Add the Rhubarb, stir gently so it is mixed with the syrup. It may seem there is too much Rhubarb, don’t be worried, it’s just fine, and return the syrup to a simmer. Shake the pan and watch the Rhubarb as it cooks, stirring if necessary. Depending on its texture, the Rhubarb will cook in about 1 1/2 minutes, though it can take up to 5 minutes. You can tell because it begins to turn color, and if you touch a piece, it will have begun to soften. Remove from the heat and leave the Rhubarb in the syrup to cool.
7. Prepare the Cream: Place the Crème Fraîche, and Vanilla Sugar in a large bowl and whisk until it forms stiff peaks.
8. To assemble the tartlets, leave them in their metal rings. Lay equal numbers of nectarine slices atop each crust with the skin against the edge, so it’s pretty when you unmold them. Top with Cream, evening it out so it completely covers the nectarine and is even against the edges of the mold. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
9. To serve, unmold a tartlet on each of six plates. Spoon the Rhubarb over the tartlets, leaving excess syrup in the pan so it doesn’t drown the tartlets. Serve immediately.
đź’ˇTips
Chill the tartlets for an hour before you spoon the Rhubarb over them and serve them.