RHUBARB TART WITH LEMON-YOGURT MOUSSE

Rhubarb Tart with Lemon-Yogurt Mousse image

This vibrant tart heralds the arrival of spring. First-of-the-season rhubarb stalks are poached in spiced brandy, then spooned over a silken citrus-and-yogurt mousse. The cornmeal crust is baked in a springform pan for extra height. You can bake the crust one day, fill with mousse the next, then chill overnight before topping and serving. The rhubarb can also be poached a day ahead and chilled separately.

Yield Makes one 10-inch tart

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for dusting
Pâte Sucrée, Cornmeal-Lemon Variation (page 333)
1 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon plus 1/3 cup cold water
1 tablespoon plus 3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup brandy
1 cinnamon stick
7 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick. Fit dough into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Line shell with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges begin to turn gold, about 25 minutes. Remove weights and parchment. Reduce heat to 350°F, and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes more. Let crust cool in pan on a wire rack.
Sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl, and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Combine 1 tablespoon cream and the brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm. Stir in softened gelatin, and remove from heat. Combine yogurt, zest, and pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Add brown-sugar mixture, and whisk until smooth. Whisk remaining 3/4 cup cream in a medium bowl until medium peaks form. Gently fold cream into yogurt mixture.
Pour filling into crust. Cover, and refrigerate until firm, 4 hours or up to 1 day.
Bring granulated sugar and remaining 1/3 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook, undisturbed, until light amber, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add 3/4 cup brandy, the cinnamon, peppercorns, vanilla, and remaining pinch of salt. Return mixture to a boil for 1 minute, then stir in rhubarb. Remove pan from heat. Stir in lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup brandy, cover, and let stand 25 minutes. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. Strain, reserving liquid, and discard cinnamon and peppercorns. Bring reserved liquid to a boil in a medium saucepan until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 4 minutes. Let cool completely.
Spoon strained rhubarb over mousse, and serve immediately with reduced cooking liquid on the side.