Happy Valentine’s Week!
I know that V-Day isn’t until Saturday, but I feel like we can all indulge in pink desserts and heart-shaped candies this week in the name of love.
Last year I made Mimosa Cupcakes for February 14th, thinking they would bake into a festive pink in the oven (they didn’t – they were blue on the inside – but delicious nonetheless!). This year, I wanted to make sure my dessert was as red/pink as possible and I think these tarts, filled with vibrant red strawberries and pink rhubarb, fit the bill perfectly.
My husband loves pie. He doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but he LOVES pie. It’s actually a bit tragic, because although I am very confident with my baking and cooking skills, I make really terrible pie crust…hence my use of store-bought tart shells in this recipe today. It’s also a great time-saver!
For the filling, I went with my tried-and-true strawberry rhubarb compote that I’ve used on everything from pancakes to oat bars. I still have a freezer full of rhubarb from my garden from this past summer, and my Better Half is a huge fan of anything containing rhubarb. Pie: check. Rhubarb: check. Happy husband? Yep.
These tarts are insanely easy to whip together, and are perfect for a non-fussy finish to any homemade Valentine’s dinner. I do recommend serving them chilled, so I’d suggest preparing them early in the day so they have time to cool in the fridge.
I’ve chosen to serve them with a dollop of custard, but they’d be equally delicious with a spoonful of whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream, or even just on their own. Vanilla pudding would work in place of custard as well.
- 2 cups rhubarb, chopped (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 cup strawberries, quartered (fresh or frozen)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 12 mini tart shells
- 2 cups custard, vanilla pudding, or other topping (optional)
- Bake tart shells according to package directions. Cool completely.
- To make the filling, combine rhubarb, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the rhubarb begins to break down, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in strawberries and vanilla and cook for 5 more minutes, until the strawberries have softened. Transfer mixture to a bowl and refrigerate to cool (at least to room temperature; preferably all the way).
- Fill cooled tart shells with strawberry-rhubarb mixture. Serve chilled, topped with custard, vanilla pudding, ice cream or whipped cream (as desired).
