RHUBARB PUFF PASTRY TARTS

Rhubarb Puff Pastry Tarts

Warm from the oven, these simple and sweet Rhubarb Puff Pastry Tarts are the perfect way to start your day or end a summery meal! These homemade rhubarb tarts use a shortcut version of traditional puff pastry dough that’s often referred to as rough puff pastry. Each bite of buttery, flaky pastry is filled with just a touch of tart and sweet rhubarb filling. Almost too pretty to eat, but you’ll love every special bite!

Rhubarb Puff Pastry Tarts

WHAT EXACTLY IS RHUBARB?

• The bright red stalks of early spring rhubarb give this jam its lovely color as well as its tangy flavor. Rhubarb is a favorite for jams, pies and crisps.  The season is both early and short – use your first crops for the best results.
• Rhubarb is a perennial grown locally in the Midwest and is available in the late Spring.  If you are not lucky enough to have rhubarb planted and growing in your garden or yard, you can often find it at farmer’s markets or the grocery store. 
• If you live in a climate where the ground freezes in winter, chances are that you can grow rhubarb!  The hardest part is finding rhubarb plants!  Rhubarb needs a cold winter where temperatures dip below freezing in order to grow and thrive, and it is considered hardy in zones 3-8.
• Because Rhubarb is a perennial, with very little care it will come back year after year – it’s a very tough and hardy plant!  Most rhubarb plants need to be dug up and divided after several years for the best plant health.  This is also a great opportunity to expand your rhubarb plot or share your plants with family and friends. Once established, rhubarb is a plant that can produce for more than 20 years.
• There are many varieties of rhubarb and many shades, from palest green to deep crimson, but the flavor is the same!  Your rhubarb sauces, jams and jelly will vary in color depending on your rhubarb, but the flavor and texture is the same! 
• The stalks are the only edible part of this early spring plant, while the green parts of the leaves are toxic, which is why you never see rhubarb stalks for sale with the leaves attached. 
• Stalks of rhubarb look similar to celery, but have a strong and very tart taste if eaten raw. 
• The bright red stalks of early spring rhubarb give this jam its lovely color as well as its tangy flavor. Rhubarb is a favorite for jams, pies and crisps.  The season is both early and short – use your first crops for the best results, as the rhubarb stalks will get tough and “woody” as the season goes on.  Young and tender stalks are the best!
• Although commonly used for desserts, rhubarb is technically a vegetable.  We use rhubarb in jams, sauces, pies and fruit bars, but it is also fabulous in savory dishes. 
• To freeze fresh rhubarb, first wash and dry it.  Slice the stalks into 1-inch pieces and lay out on a baking sheets.  Place the pans in the freezer for an hour, or until the rhubarb is frozen solid.  Transfer to sturdy zip lock freezer bags (I usually measure out 4 cups into gallon sized freezer bags).  Frozen rhubarb will last for up to a year.
• Fresh rhubarb is best for all recipes, but you can also use frozen – just be sure to add any liquid that released from the frozen rhubarb to your recipe.
• Rhubarb is healthy for you – it’s loaded with calcium, lutein, vitamin K and antioxidants.  

SECRETS OF HOMEMADE PUFF PASTRY:

• It's easier than you think to impress your guests with homemade puff pastry!
• Homemade puff pastry dough is perfect for all sorts of sweet and savory recipes!  So quick, buttery and puffy, you'll love how easy this is to make from scratch!
• The most important ingredient in homemade puff pastry dough is high quality butter.  This is the time to splurge on fancy butter, because high-end butter has a higher fat content.  Kerrygold is my favorite brand - it has a vivid golden yellow hue and the flavor is just divine!
• Simple ingredients make the best puff pastry - and you probably already have them in your kitchen!  You only need flour, a sprinkle of sugar and just a touch of salt, and ICE COLD butter and ICE COLD water.  
• The process of making homemade puff pastry is simple - use your hands to pat the dough into a square, and then generously flour your rolling pin.  Roll the dough out into a long rectangle, and then fold it up like a letter - fold the bottom third up to the middle and then the top third over the middle.  
• Then, give the dough a quarter turn and repeat.  You'll do this 5 more times - the dough will become easier and easier to work with as you go! 
• Refrigerating the dough will help the gluten in the dough relax.  
• Fluffy and flakey, buttery and so delicious - you're now ready for the British Baking Show!

Rhubarb Puff Pastry Tarts

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS:

• Fruit Fillings: Feel free to substitute half of the rhubarb with raspberries, strawberries, apricots, peaches or blueberries, or a combination of fruits. Raspberries are very fragile and juicy, so I don’t recommend using all raspberries for this filling.
• Can I use frozen fruit instead of fresh? I don’t recommend frozen fruit for this recipe, as the filling may be too wet and the pastry could become soggy.
• Can I replace Cornstarch?  Tapioca starch or all-purpose flour will work as a replacement for cornstarch.
• Double Batch: The filling and dough recipe can easily be doubled. In step 11, make sure you’re patting the dough to be about 3/4 – 1 inch thick. In step 13, roll out to 1/2 inch thick. The dimensions in both of these steps doesn’t matter much, but the thickness does. In step 16, divide dough in half before rolling out into 2 separate squares. Continue with the recipe as written.  I will caution you to stop at doubling it - don't triple it.   When you double it, make sure to divide it in half before you begin your rolling sessions.   
• Other Uses For This Dough: After the dough has chilled, it’s ready to shape however you want. This recipe makes around 1/2 pound of dough, which is enough for one 9-inch tart or pie. If your pie or tart recipe requires par-baking with pie weights, I recommend using them with this puff pastry dough as well, following all of the same instructions in your recipe.  
• Do I need to chill the shaped tarts?  Chilling the shaped tarts before baking them helps them maintain their shape in the oven. Remember, cold pastry dough is best!  I usually refrigerate them for 15 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes as the oven preheats.
• Egg Wash: An egg wash promises a beautiful golden sheen on your pastries. You can skip the egg and use a total of 3 tablespoons (45ml) milk (any kind, dairy or nondairy) instead.
• Sugar Topping:  You can replace coarse sugar with cinnamon sugar for a sweet change!
• FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:  Freeze unbaked or baked tarts in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature without opening container!  If unbaked, proceed with step 20.  If freezing tarts AFTER baking, thaw at room temperature without opening container and warm in microwave for 15-20 seconds on low power (30%) before serving.
• CAN I USE STORE BOUGHT PUFF PASTRY AS A SHORTCUT?  You can replace the homemade puff pastry with fresh or frozen puff pastry.  Pepperidge Farm is a quality brand, DuFour is by far the best brand of store bought frozen puff pastry but is harder to find and double the price. If using frozen puff pastry, thaw according to package directions before using.  For fresh puff pastry, Wewalka Puff Pastry is my favorite brand.
• CAN I USE PIE CRUST INSTEAD OF PUFF PASTRY?  Pie crust works just fine as a replacement for the puff pastry, but you won’t have all those lovely layers of buttery puff pastry goodness!    

Rhubarb Puff Pastry Tarts

RHUBARB PUFF PASTRY TARTS

Warm from the oven, these simple and sweet Rhubarb Puff Pastry Tarts are the perfect way to start your day or end a summery meal! These homemade rhubarb tarts use a shortcut version of traditional puff pastry dough that’s often referred to as rough puff pastry. Each bite of buttery, flaky pastry is filled with just a touch of tart and sweet rhubarb filling. Almost too pretty to eat, but you’ll love every special bite!
​

Rhubarb Puff Pastry Tarts

INGREDIENTS:
RHUBARB FILLING:
2 cups of fresh rhubarb (cleaned, washed, and cut into 1/3-inch slices)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
¼ cup fresh apple cider or lemon juice
 
HOMEMADE PUFF PASTRY:
1 and 1/3 cups (166g) all-purpose flour (plus more for flouring hands, surface, and dough)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks; 170g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
6–8 Tablespoons ice cold water
 
EGG WASH & TOPPING:
1 egg (beaten)
1 Tablespoon milk
Sanding Sugar or Coarse Sugar
 
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:  (Optional)
Joseph Joseph Wooden Rolling Pin
Williams Sonoma Mini Pie Molds
 
HOW I MAKE THESE:

1. PREPARE SWEET RHUBARB SAUCE:  Pick rhubarb and trim leaves and root, leaving only the stalk.  Wash in cold water and drain well.  Cut the stalks into 1/3-inch slices. 
2. Mix the rhubarb, sugar and cornstarch together in a medium heavy sauce pan.  
3. Let macerate for about 10 minutes (the mixture of fruit and sugar starts to liquefy as it stands). 
4. Add apple cider (apple juice contains natural pectin, which will help to thicken your filling) or fresh lemon juice.
5. Over medium heat, stir constantly until all of the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.  Add vanilla extract or vanilla bean extract.
6. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture just starts to simmer. Immediately reduce heat to low and continue stirring frequently, until the rhubarb pieces are tender and start to fall apart (this can take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes).
7. Remove from heat and stir well, breaking up any large rhubarb pieces.
8. Set Rhubarb Sauce aside to cool to room temperature; mixture will thicken as it cools.
9. PREPARE PUFF PASTRY:  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Place the cold and cubed butter on top. Using your hands, gently toss the flour and butter together, and then gently rub the butter into the flour to begin combining them - you do not want to break down the butter too much in this step. This is one of those times that your hands are the best tools – if you use a food processor, pastry cutter, or mixer for this step it will break down the butter too much.
10. The butter should still be in large cubes or chunks. Begin adding the ice cold water one tablespoon at a time until dough forms a large shaggy clump in your bowl. Use your hands to toss the mixture together after you add each tablespoon of water - I start with 2 tablespoons of water before starting to toss together.  You can use a spatula or spoon for tossing, but I recommend using your hands so you get a good feel of the dough. As the dough begins to hydrate after about 4 tablespoons of water, you can start lightly squeezing or clumping the dough together with your hands to help bring it together. Mixture will still be very shaggy.  If your dough feels sticky and wet, your butter was likely too warm – you can continue with the recipe, but the dough will not be as flaky.
11. Lightly flour your work surface and gently place the shaggy clump of dough in the center. There will still be large chunks of butter at this point and that’s all good!  Begin patting the dough down with lightly floured hands until it’s 3/4 to 1-inch thick, about a 5×8 inch rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds as if you were folding a letter to mail. Use your hands to gently flatten and smooth out any cracks in your dough. Wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper, and then place into a large airtight container.
12. First Refrigeration: Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
13. Roll & Fold: Take the dough out of the refrigerator to begin the “rolling and folding” process. If the dough chilled for longer than about 3 hours, it’s likely very stiff so let it rest for about 5 minutes before you begin rolling.  Lightly flour a work surface. The dough will get sticky, so make sure you have more flour nearby as you roll and fold. Use your hands to gently flatten the dough into a small square. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 6 inch wide and 12 inch tall rectangle, with about a ½ inch even thickness.  The exact dimensions are not important, but the thickness is.  As you roll, lightly flour your work surface as needed, and flip the dough over once or twice to make sure it’s not sticking to your work surface. Fold the rectangle into thirds, as if it were a business letter. Turn it and roll it out into a 6×12 inch 1/2 inch thick rectangle again. Then, fold into thirds again. Turn it clockwise or counter clockwise. You’ll repeat rolling and folding 4 more times for a total of 6 times.
14. Second Refrigeration:  Wrap up, seal tightly and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours.
15. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Rimmed baking sheets are best because butter may leak from the pastries as they bake.
16. Remove the dough from the refrigerator to begin the shaping steps. Lightly flour a work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 12-inch square. Using the mini pie molds or a large round cookie or tart cutter, cut 12 rounds.
17. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling into the center of each round.  Add the top crust and using a mini pie molds or a fork, crimp the edges of the tarts together to seal. If the dough has become too warm and sticky to crimp, refrigerate for 10 minutes before crimping. You want to make sure you have a tightly sealed tart to help prevent filling from spilling out.
18. Transfer individual tarts to prepared baking sheets – I usually do 3 or 4 on each baking pan, allowing for ample space between each tart.
19. Chill the shaped tarts in the refrigerator, covered or uncovered, for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour (or freeze, see freezing instructions below). You can preheat the oven and make the egg wash as they finish up chilling.
20. PREPARE TO BAKE:  Preheat oven to 400° degrees.
21. PREPARE EGG WASH:  In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together.  As you remove each baking sheet from the refrigerator, brush the top with egg wash, using a soft pastry brush. Sprinkle the top of each with coarse sugar.
22. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and around the edges and filling is bubbling. Some butter may leak from the dough - that’s completely normal and expected. For perfectly golden crust, feel free to remove the baking sheets from the oven halfway through baking and brush the edges of the tarts with any of the leaking butter, then place back in the oven to finish baking.
23. Remove from the oven and cool on baking sheets for at least 5 minutes before removing from pan – the centers will be hot.
24. Cool for at least 5 minutes before serving warm.
25. Storing Leftovers and Reheating:  Rhubarb Puff Pastry Tarts are best eaten the day of baking, however, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in the oven at 375 for 5 minutes or warm in microwave for 15-20 seconds on low power (30%) before serving. 

YIELD:  Makes 6 individual tarts or mini pies
 
INSPIRED BY:  Sallys Baking Addiction
 
RECIPE NOTES:

• Fruit Fillings: Feel free to substitute half of the rhubarb with raspberries, strawberries, apricots, peaches or blueberries, or a combination of fruits. Raspberries are very fragile and juicy, so I don’t recommend using all raspberries for this filling.
• Can I use frozen fruit instead of fresh? I don’t recommend frozen fruit for this recipe, as the filling may be too wet and the pastry could become soggy.
• Can I replace Cornstarch?  Tapioca starch or all-purpose flour will work as a replacement for cornstarch.
• Double Batch: The filling and dough recipe can easily be doubled. In step 11, make sure you’re patting the dough to be about 3/4 – 1 inch thick. In step 13, roll out to 1/2 inch thick. The dimensions in both of these steps doesn’t matter much, but the thickness does. In step 16, divide dough in half before rolling out into 2 separate squares. Continue with the recipe as written.
• Other Uses For This Dough: After the dough has chilled, it’s ready to shape however you want. This recipe makes around 1/2 pound of dough, which is enough for one 9-inch tart or pie. If your pie or tart recipe requires par-baking with pie weights, I recommend using them with this puff pastry dough as well, following all of the same instructions in your recipe.  
• Do I need to chill the shaped tarts?  Chilling the shaped tarts before baking them helps them maintain their shape in the oven. Remember, cold pastry dough is best!  I usually refrigerate them for 15 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes as the oven preheats.
• Egg Wash: An egg wash promises a beautiful golden sheen on your pastries. You can skip the egg and use a total of 3 tablespoons (45ml) milk (any kind, dairy or nondairy) instead.
• Sugar Topping:  You can replace coarse sugar with cinnamon sugar for a sweet change!
• FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:  Freeze unbaked or baked tarts in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature without opening container!  If unbaked, proceed with step 20.  If freezing tarts AFTER baking, thaw at room temperature without opening container and warm in microwave for 15-20 seconds on low power (30%) before serving.
• CAN I USE STORE BOUGHT PUFF PASTRY AS A SHORTCUT?  You can replace the homemade puff pastry with fresh or frozen puff pastry.  Pepperidge Farm is a quality brand, DuFour is by far the best brand of store bought frozen puff pastry but is harder to find and double the price. If using frozen puff pastry, thaw according to package directions before using.  For fresh puff pastry, Wewalka Puff Pastry is my favorite brand.
• CAN I USE PIE CRUST INSTEAD OF PUFF PASTRY?  Pie crust works just fine as a replacement for the puff pastry, but you won’t have all those lovely layers of buttery puff pastry goodness!    

Originally posted May 2015; revised and reposted July 2021.
 
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