Rhubarb Tarts subtly flavoured with orange and ginger, and optionally sweetened and coloured with beetroot powder. Easily made either vegan or vegetarian, delicious with your choice of sweet and creamy toppings. Perfect plant-based picnic food or easy make-ahead dessert.
Make the crust:In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.Mix in the orange juice and beet-root powder.Slowly mix in the flour and then add in the ginger and orange rind.As the dough starts to blend together, get in with your hands and shape it into a large ball.Chill for about 1/2 hour. Make the filling while you are waiting.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Make the filling:Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low to medium heat.Stir every few minutes and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft but not too mushy.
Once the dough is chilled:Lightly flour a surface for rolling, then roll out the dough to fit your pans. {I used 4 inch springform pans to make mine. I make 6 bottom crust pieces that are slightly larger than the bottom of my muffin tins and press the extra dough on the sides, to make a rim.}Add about 1/4 cup of filling per tart.Make top crust pieces, using a small cookie cutter to cut out a vent hole.
Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until the crust is firm.
Serve with your favourite toppings. Suggestions are from vegan to carnivore:whipped coconut creamvegan coffee cream replacementplain soy yogurtnice creamwhipped creamfull fat, plain Greek yogurtvanilla ice cream
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is for one 4 inch tart.
About Beetroot Powder
Beetroot powder is just dehyrated, ground-up beets. It's got a sweet earthy flavour and provides a lovely vibrant hue to the food.
Make sure you get any lumps out of it first, before you combine it with anything else. Blend it, pound it, spice-grinder it! Whatever you need to do.
Storage
You can make this ahead and store it in the fridge safely for 2 or 3 days. I like to warm mine up in the oven at about 250F for about 10 minutes or so before serving.