By Jen Inglis
As its Burn's Night or close enough, I wanted to go traditionally Scottish with the recipe share and had my vegan haggis all ready to go, but there's another exciting annual event that needed to be celebrated. We've reached forced rhubarb season!
Coconut and raspberry cakes have become a very traditional treat here so substituting Yorkshire rhubarb doesn't stray too far from bonnie Scotland, and these pretty shiny pink stalks are a gorgeous way to brighten things up across the chilly early months of the year.
I've gone with another tart, because January is better with pastry, but this is a very different bake to last week. Its a little more work as you're making a vegan shortcrust pastry case which needs to be blind-baked, but the rest is really simple and leaves you with a beautiful and delicious, sweet dessert that's dying to be served with custard or ice-cream. Can't think of anything better than sitting under a blanket on a chilly grey Sunday afternoon with a slice of this coconutty gem.
Shortcrust Pastry
150g plain flour
25g caster sugar
pinch salt
Zest of 1 orange
75g spread (I used Flora)
Filling
500g forced rhubarb plus 1 tbsp caster sugar
65 ml aquafaba, about 4 tbsp of the liquid from a tin of chickpeas. Use unsalted if possible as salted can affect the finished flavour.
125g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
100g desiccated coconut
60g spread (melted)
Icing sugar for dusting
Equipment
Pastry ring
Oven tray
Knives
Chopping Board
Bowls
Baking parchment
Zester
Spoons
Large pan for rhubarb
Small pan for melting spread
Sieve
Method
Rub spread into flour, salt and sugar and orange mix and add a tbsp or 2 of water and form into a (very) soft dough then chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
Roll out pastry, it'll be quite soft, and reserve any offcuts as they're handy for repairing any cracks or holes in the tart-case after baking. Gently place in greased pastry ring leaving at least an extra inch of pastry all around the edges. Prick the base lightly several times with a fork then line base with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or you can use dried beans, peas or lentils or rice works too. Chill for another 20 mins.
Bake for 15 mins at 180 degrees then remove beans and bake for another 5-10 mins. You can trim the crust at this stage and do any repairs needed.
Rhubarb
Cut rhubarb into roughly 1 cm pieces and cook in a large pan with 1 tbsp caster sugar for about 20 mins then drain well but keep the excess juice. It's delicious and can be used as a cordial or a syrup. Add the fruit compote to the base of the pastry case.
Coconut Filling
Whisk aquafaba, caster sugar and vanilla together in a bowl. Add the coconut and the melted butter, and mix well. Pour the filling onto the rhubarb.
Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 30 mins then turn the oven to 160 degrees for another 15 mins until it's golden brown and just set in the centre.
Allow to completely cool and dust with icing sugar. I've topped this one with ganache leftover from last week's recipe but ice-cream or custard would be even better.