Two stars of the spring growing season—asparagus and rhubarb–are in high supply at farmers’ markets. Rhubarb especially is so versatile in sauces and desserts, and at this time of year I always start the flow of pies, crisps, cakes and breads where rhubarb is the main ingredient.
Rhubarb cream pie
In the pie field, I make this rhubarb cream pie before its steady partner of strawberries is available. It’s easy to assemble and the nice touch here is to glaze the unbaked lattice top with a brush of milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar before it’s baked. It glistens and the sugar mixture adds an interesting flavor profile. To further gild the lily brush the top of the baked crust with melted butter when you take it out of the oven.
Ingredients
- Pastry Dough
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks), cold butter, unsalted or lightly salted
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) freshly rendered leaf lard
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 heaping teaspoon sugar
- Pinch salt
- About 1/2 cup ice water
- Rhubarb Filling
- Rhubarb cut into 1-inch pieces to measure 4 cups
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- Scant 4 tablespoons flour
- 4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
- Milk, sugar and cinnamon for glazing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Pastry dough. Prepare the butter by cutting it into cubes. Put in a small bowl; measure out the lard and add to the bowl. Place it in the freezer for 5 minutes before using.
- Meanwhile put the dry ingredients into the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix the ingredients. (Note: optionally you can chill the flour before using for 10 minutes in the refrigerator; this will contribute to the dough’s flakiness, but it’s not essential.) Add the butter and lard (cut into smaller pieces) and pulse 10 to 12 times until the mixture is crumbly and the fat is the size of small peas mixed in with the flour. Gradually add the water, pulsing as you do until the mixture begins to hold together. It should be modestly moist to the touch and begin to come away from the sides of the bowl while pulsing; if not add more water by dropfuls until it does. Be careful not to over process or add too much water.
- Put the flour onto a lightly floured work surface and gently push the dough together into a rough ball; divide in half and knead with one turn and pat into a disk. Wrap in plastic and let rest for at least an hour.
- Filling. Prepare the rhubarb and set aside in a quart size glass measure. Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl beat the eggs with the sugar until combined. Add the flour and the milk and mix thoroughly. Add the rhubarb and fold in until well combined. Roll out one disk of pastry to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the overhang to 1 inch and fold under. Add the filling. Dot the top with butter.
- Then make lattice strips of the remaining dough, cutting the strips an inch wide strips and affix lattice style over the filling. Crimp the edges decoratively. Brush the top lightly with milk and mix together in a small bowl about 2 tablespoons sugar with 1/2 teaspoon (or more to taste) cinnamon. Sprinkle this over the dough. Put the pie on a baking sheet and put in the 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake about 50 minutes; if necessary turn on your convection mode to give it the last blast of extra heat and continue to bake until the filling slightly bubbles around the edge. Serve warm with whipped cream.
