For the Lemon Curd
- 100ml lemon juice (about 4 lemons) and zest
- 450g whole eggs (about 9 eggs)
- 160g caster sugar
- 170g unsalted butter – cubed
For the Meringue
- 180g egg whites
- 300g caster sugar
- 25g liquid glucose
- 85ml water
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
For the Pastry
- 250g plain flour
- 5g salt
- 10g caster sugar
- 150g unsalted butter – diced and chilled
- 20g egg yolk
- 40g water
For the Poached Rhubarb
- 150g caster sugar
- 150g water
- 10g sliced fresh ginger
- 2 sticks rhubarb – sliced on the angle in 1cm pieces
For the Rhubarb Sauce
- 250g rhubarb – roughly chopped
- 150g sugar
- 20g fresh ginger – chopped
Method
For the lemon curd. Place the lemon juice and zest in a saucepan and bring to the boil. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until light in colour. Add half of the lemon juice to the egg mix and whisk until fully incorporated, and then add the remaining juice and mix through again. Return this mix to the saucepan and continue to cook the curd over a low heat for a further 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pass the mix through a fine sieve into a mixing bowl. Mix in the butter, piece by piece, until fully incorporated. Pour onto a shallow tray and cover with cling film, and chill.
For the meringue. Combine the sugar, glucose and water in a saucepan, place over a medium heat. When the sugar temperature reaches around 110 deg cel, start to whisk the egg whites slowly. When the sugar hits 121 deg cel take the whites to stiff peak and turn the speed to medium, and slowly pour the sugar into the whites. When the sugar is fully incorporated add the vanilla paste and poppy seeds, then turn to full speed and continue to whisk until room temp. Place in a piping bag with a star nozzle.
For the pastry. Place the dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix, then add the butter and rub together until no lumps remain. Make a well in the centre, add the wet ingredients, and mix to form a smooth paste. Chill for 2-3 hours. Weigh the dough into 45g balls. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper, place in the individual tins, and remove excess dough, and refrigerate again. After 30 minutes, line with cling film (5 sheets thick), and fill with rice. Bake the pastry case at 155 deg cel for about 10 minutes, then remove rice and cling film, and continue to cook for further 5/10 minutes or until lightly golden brown and then allow to cool.
For the poached rhubarb. Place the sugar, water, and ginger in a suitable saucepan, and bring to the boil, and then add the rhubarb, and remove from the heat. Allow to cool in the liquid, and then drain.
For the rhubarb sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, and cook on a low heat until the rhubarb in cooked through. Blend, pass through a fine sieve, and chill.
