Recipes & Food Styling

A topless tart! 

This flavorful dessert is just like a classic Rhubarb Custard Pie. The open top shows off the vibrant red colors of the rhubarb and cuts calories galore. All that’s on top is a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a few sprinkles of lavender buds. I love rhubarb. When I researched foods from the the Titanic for my book, “The Last Night on The Titanic,” I was elated to discover rhubarb on the Sea Trials menu for the crew on April 3. I did a study of rhubarb and made a special section for rhubarb in the book. I found out that John Bartram planted the first rhubarb in America in the 1700s. You can visit the site at Bartram’s Garden in Philadelphia.         

Rustic Rhubarb Custard Pie

1/2 of your favorite frozen pie crust dough ( bottom crust only)
4 cups rhubarb, cut in ½-inch pieces
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon milk
½ cup all-purpose flour
1½ cups sugar
plus extra for lightly coating rhubarb and sprinkling on top of pie before baking
1 Tablespoon butter, plus enough to add pats to pie filling in pie plate

Using your fingers, lightly coat the bottom of the pie plate with a little bit of butter. Using a spoon, lightly coat the rhubarb pieces with a little sugar. Sprinkle flour on counter and roll out pie crust into a circle. Place the crust in the pie plate. Poke a few holes in the crust with a fork for ventilation while baking. Put the rhubarb in the pie plate. Make the custard using a hand-held beater. Mix the eggs, milk, flour, and sugar together. Pour the egg mixture (the custard) over the rhubarb. Scatter 6 to 8 tiny pats of butter around on the top of the rhubarb. Bake in 425 degree oven for 45 minutes.