Healthy rhubarb and custard tart has a gluten-free oatmeal pie crust with a custard and honey-roasted rhubarb filling. This healthy springtime dessert looks stunning with vibrant pink rhubarb, and it tastes every bit as good as it looks!
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What you'll love about the recipe
- Healthy rhubarb and custard tart is gluten-free, and much lower in added sugar and saturated fat than most desserts. The pastry is made with wholegrain oats and no butter. The tart can easily be made dairy-free if needed.
- This delicious rhubarb custard pie that makes the most of the short rhubarb season. Honey-roasted rhubarb intensifies the distinctive tangy flavour.
- This healthy rhubarb tart is easy to make. There's no rubbing in or rolling out for the gluten-free oatmeal pie crust. And the simple, all-in-one smooth custard comes together quickly and easily.
I love rhubarb and grow 2 different varieties in the garden. In the Spring, I make stewed rhubarb or healthy rhubarb crumble most weeks, but this healthy rhubarb and custard tart is a regular bake whenever I want a dessert that looks a bit more special. And it's perfect as a healthy Easter dessert.
Ingredients
Rhubarb generally appears in the UK towards the end of the winter. The first rhubarb into the shops is usually forced rhubarb, with maincrop appearing in spring through to early summer. Any variety of rhubarb will work well in this healthy gluten free rhubarb and custard tart.
Honey. A drizzle of honey sweetens the rhubarb as it's naturally very tart. The roasting process intensifies the flavour and sweetness, and the honey will become syrupy which gives the rhubarb a lovely shine. It's slightly easier to use a runny honey - if your honey is very thick you might need to soften it a little in a pan so that you can drizzle it more easily.
Oatmeal pie crust ingredients
The pie crust for this tart is made with gluten-free oats, which gives a lovely nutty flavour and texture. You'll need to make sure that your oats are certified gluten free which ensures that they have been processed separately to any other grains that may contain gluten.
If you don't have a food processor or blender to grind the oats, use GF oat flour instead.
Olive oil. Making the pie crust with olive oil is very easy as there's no rubbing in required. It makes the pastry healthier with less saturated fat, and dairy-free too. Use a mild-flavoured oil, or use coconut oil if you prefer. I made the pie crust with no added sweetener as it's combined with the sweet custard, but you can add a tablespoon of sugar if you prefer.
Healthy custard (pastry cream) ingredients
The gluten-free, healthy custard for this recipe is made from milk, cornflour and two whole eggs. It's sweetened with a little sugar (or use honey if you prefer) and vanilla extract. You can use any type of milk - I find it tastes quite creamy even with skimmed milk.
To make a dairy-free rhubarb tart, use oat milk.
Rhubarb and custard is a match made in heaven, so check out this delicious rhubarb and custard fool, or healthy rhubarb muffins with a custard filling!
How to make healthy rhubarb and custard tart
All the elements of this tart are very simple to make. The oatmeal tart case and honey roast rhubarb go into the oven together, so it's also very efficient.
Healthy oatmeal pie crust
Blitz the oats in a food processor or blender until fine and powdery. Add the olive oil and blitz again briefly. Then gradually add the water, using just enough to make the pastry start to clump together.
There's no need to rest the pastry as there's no gluten to relax:)
Tip the dough into the tart tin and spread it out with your fingers or a spatula. Press it firmly onto the base and up the sides of the tin.
Cook in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Honey roast rhubarb
Meanwhile, cut the rhubarb into pieces about 3 cm long. I cut the stems diagonally as it looks prettier. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with honey. Bake the rhubarb in the oven with the pastry for 15 minutes.
Gluten free vanilla custard
Whilst the honey roast rhubarb and pie crust are baking, make the custard (or pastry cream as it is also called). Place the cold milk, cornflour, eggs, sugar and vanilla into a pan and whisk well.
Place the pan over a medium-low heat and gradually bring the custard up to the boil. Stir constantly. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to ensure the cornflour is cooked though, then remove from the heat.
Leave the pastry, rhubarb and custard to cool for at least 20 minutes before assembling. You can leave them for longer (up to 24 hours) in the fridge if you prefer and want to get ahead with the recipe.
To assemble, simply spread the custard evenly over the pie crust. Then top with the baked rhubarb in whatever arrangement you prefer. There's no need to glaze the tart as the rhubarb will have a naturally glossy shine from the honey.
Serving
Serve chilled. I think this healthy gluten-free rhubarb and custard tart is best on the day it is assembled, so the base stays crisper.
Freezing is not recommended as the custard may weep, and the tart could become soggy.
Whilst rhubarb is in season, you might also like to try this delicious rhubarb and almond cake, another healthy, gluten-free spring dessert.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! The quantities in this large tart will make about 6 individual tartlets, depending on the exact size of your tart tins. It's best if the tins are loose-bottomed or non-stick for easier removal.
Pastry cream is a type of custard which includes starch. This helps to thicken the custard and also helps to stabilise it so that it doesn't split when it comes to the boil. Some recipes use cornflour (also known as cornstarch) which is naturally gluten-free, and others use flour, which is not. Provided you use cornflour, your pastry cream will be gluten-free. (See this recipe for vanilla pouring custard if you want a custard that you can serve with fruit or crumbles.)
Yes. The healthy olive oil pastry in this recipe is dairy-free . You can make dairy free custard by replacing dairy milk with GF oat milk.
Other healthy dessert recipes
If you like creamy but healthy desserts, why not try this gluten free trifle, or low fat lemon cheesecake. You might also enjoy these almond and yogurt parfaits, or treat yourself to a gooseberry fool!
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Recipe
Healthy Rhubarb and Custard Tart (gluten free)
Equipment
- Food processor or blender Can also make by hand using oat flour
- 24cm tart tin Can also use 6 individual tart tins
Ingredients
Oatmeal pie crust
- 150 g gluten free oats
- 70 ml olive oil mild flavoured
- 3-4 tablespoon cold water
Honey roast rhubarb
- 400 g rhubarb
- 1 tablespoon honey
Custard (pastry cream)
- 400 ml milk any type
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- 1.5 tablespoon sugar any type
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Healthy oatmeal pastry
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (160 fan)
- Add the oats to the bowl of a food processor or blender and blitz until fine and powdery. Add the olive oil and briefly blitz again. Then gradually add as much water as you need to bring the pastry together.150 g gluten free oats, 70 ml olive oil, 3-4 tablespoon cold water
- Tip the pastry into the tart tin, and either with your hands or a spatula, spread the pastry across the base. Press firmly into the base and sides of the tin.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
Baked rhubarb
- Cut the rhubarb into pieces about 3cm long.400 g rhubarb
- Place the rhubarb on a baking tray and drizzle over the honey.1 tablespoon honey
- Roast in the oven for 15 minutes
Healthy custard
- Add the cold milk, cornflour, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract to a pan and whisk well.400 ml milk, 2 tablespoon cornflour, 1.5 tablespoon sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Place the pan on a medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, bring the custard up to the boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes and remove from the heat.
Assembly
- Leave the custard, rhubarb and pie case to cool for 20 minutes before assembling. If you prefer you can leave them for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Add the custard to the pie case and spread out evenly. Place the rhubarb pieces on the top of the custard tart.
- Serve chilled.
Notes
- To make the oatmeal crust without a food processor, use oat flour rather than whole oats and stir the ingredients together by hand.
- If you are using a very thick honey, you may need to warm it slightly in a pan so that you can drizzle it more easily.
- If you'd prefer, you can make individual healthy rhubarb and custard tartlets. This quantity will make 6 tartlets, depending on the size of your tins. Ideally, use loose-bottomed or non-stick tins for easy removal.
- For a dairy-free pastry cream you can use oatmilk.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
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