Rhubarb & Custard Puff Pockets

You will need cutters (optional) and a baking sheet.

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour into a large bowl with the salt. Roughly break the butter into chunks and toss into the flour to coat. Gently rub the butter into the flour – you need to see chunks of butter. If you are using ready-rolled puff pastry, skip to step 6.
2. Make a well in the centre of the flour and, using a round- bladed knife, add three-quarters of the water and mix well. Keep adding the water bit by bit until you have a firm dough. Cover the bowl with a clean damp tea towel and pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes to rest.
3. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle using your hands. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a large rectangle (you will see streaks of butter) then fold the top third down to the centre and the bottom up to cover the top as you would to fold a letter. Use the rolling pin to shape each side so it stays neat.
4. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat the above process. Wrap in cling film or parchment and chill for 20 minutes.
5. Repeat the process three or four more times in the same way to build up the layers and chill until ready to use.
6. Chop the rhubarb into small batons and place in a saucepan along with the sugar and vanilla. Heat on a medium heat for about 5 minutes until rhubarb is soft but still holding its shape. Leave to cool.
7. For the custard, pour the milk and vanilla into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave to cool slightly.
8. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg yolk, sugar and cornflour together, then add the milk and whisk well. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat on medium until very thick, making sure the mixture doesn’t catch and burn on the bottom of the pan.
9. Pour the custard into a bowl, covering the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming.
10. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan oven / 400°F / Gas 6.
11. Roll out the pastry to a large rectangle of about 3mm thickness or unroll the ready-rolled pastry. Cut into eight equal rectangles, and stamp out shapes in four of them (I use a heart-shaped cutter for mine), or feel free to leave them plain.
12. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and lift the four plain bases carefully onto it. Spread a quarter of the custard in the centre of a pastry, leaving a border around the edge, then top the custard with a quarter of the rhubarb. Beat the egg and lightly egg wash the border, then lift the top piece on top. Seal the edges with a fork or crimp using your thumb and fingers. Continue with the remaining pastries, then brush the tops with a little more beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
13. Bake for 15–20 minutes until puffed up and golden brown and dust with a little icing sugar.

You will need cutters (optional) and a baking sheet.

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour into a large bowl with the salt. Roughly break the butter into chunks and toss into the flour to coat. Gently rub the butter into the flour – you need to see chunks of butter. If you are using ready-rolled puff pastry, skip to step 6.
2. Make a well in the centre of the flour and, using a round- bladed knife, add three-quarters of the water and mix well. Keep adding the water bit by bit until you have a firm dough. Cover the bowl with a clean damp tea towel and pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes to rest.
3. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle using your hands. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a large rectangle (you will see streaks of butter) then fold the top third down to the centre and the bottom up to cover the top as you would to fold a letter. Use the rolling pin to shape each side so it stays neat.
4. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat the above process. Wrap in cling film or parchment and chill for 20 minutes.
5. Repeat the process three or four more times in the same way to build up the layers and chill until ready to use.
6. Chop the rhubarb into small batons and place in a saucepan along with the sugar and vanilla. Heat on a medium heat for about 5 minutes until rhubarb is soft but still holding its shape. Leave to cool.
7. For the custard, pour the milk and vanilla into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave to cool slightly.
8. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg yolk, sugar and cornstarch together, then add the milk and whisk well. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat on medium until very thick, making sure the mixture doesn’t catch and burn on the bottom of the pan.
9. Pour the custard into a bowl, covering the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming.
10. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan oven / 400°F / Gas 6.
11. Roll out the pastry to a large rectangle of about 3mm thickness or unroll the ready-rolled pastry. Cut into eight equal rectangles, and stamp out shapes in four of them (I use a heart-shaped cutter for mine), or feel free to leave them plain.
12. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and lift the four plain bases carefully onto it. Spread a quarter of the custard in the centre of a pastry, leaving a border around the edge, then top the custard with a quarter of the rhubarb. Beat the egg and lightly egg wash the border, then lift the top piece on top. Seal the edges with a fork or crimp using your thumb and fingers. Continue with the remaining pastries, then brush the tops with a little more beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
13. Bake for 15–20 minutes until puffed up and golden brown and dust with a little confectioners' sugar.