SWISS EASTER RICE TART

Swiss Easter Rice Tart image

This is a custard tart, with rice, lemon and almonds in the filling, which is served only at Easter in Switzerland. "It was called gâteau de Pâques and I remember it very well," said Gray Kunz, the chef who was born in Singapore but grew up in Geneva and Bern. "There would be a bunny in icing sugar stenciled on top." Nick Malgieri, the baking teacher and author, based this somewhat lighter recipe on several he found in Switzerland.

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Time 2h

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and more for dusting
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
11 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in 11 slices
1/2 cup long-grain rice
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup blanched almonds, finely ground in food processor
3 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar

Steps:

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the baking powder in food processor. Pulse to blend. Add 10 tablespoons butter and pulse 3 to 4 times, until butter is in pea-size pieces. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons cold water. Pulse 4 times. Dough will not come together. Turn dough out on lightly floured work surface and knead gently a few times to form a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, half fill a 3-quart saucepan with water, bring to a boil, stir in rice, lower heat to medium and cook until rice is soft, about 15 minutes. Drain rice and return it to saucepan. Add milk, remaining butter, 1/2 cup sugar and remaining salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture has thickened almost to a risotto consistency, about 25 minutes.
Place saucepan in a large bowl of ice and water 10 minutes, to cool mixture to tepid. Purée in food processor. Pour into a bowl and add lemon zest. Mix ground almonds with 1 tablespoon flour and add to bowl. Stir in eggs one at a time.
Place oven rack in lowest position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove pastry from refrigerator and place on lightly floured surface. Lightly dust top with flour. Use a rolling pin to press down on dough to soften it. Roll out disk to 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough evenly into pan. Trim edges flush with pan. Pour filling into pastry.
Bake about 35 minutes, until filling is set and golden. Cool on a rack. Dust with sifted confectioners' sugar before serving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 305, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 25 grams, Fat 20 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 10 grams, Sodium 312 milligrams, Sugar 17 grams, TransFat 1 gram