Custard squares with rhubarb

1.Preheat oven to 210°C. Line a square cake tin with baking paper, leaving enough hanging over the sides to help you lift out the squares.

2.Roll out 2 sheets of the pastry on baking paper to about 2-3mm thick. Cut the sheets roughly a quarter bigger than the tin you intend to use to assemble the custard squares. Prick the pastry all over with a skewer, then slide it, using the baking paper, onto baking trays. Pop in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave the pastry to cool on the trays while you make the custard.

3.Heat 2 cups of the milk with the butter in a medium-sized saucepan until the butter has melted. Mix the cornflour, icing sugar, egg and vanilla to a smooth paste with the remaining milk. Pour a small amount of the butter and milk mixture into the egg and sugar paste, stirring well. Then add this mixture back to the pan with the warm milk and butter. Cook the custard over medium heat until it coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a spatula. Leave the custard until cool.

4.Place 1 sheet of cooked pastry in the lined tin and fill with all of the cool custard. Place the other pastry sheet on top and press down lightly so the custard sticks to both sheets. Pop in the fridge until the icing is ready.

5.Place the caster sugar and water in a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the rhubarb to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high to bring to a boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Take the mixture off the heat and allow it to cool before stirring in the icing sugar. Spread the icing over the cooled custard square, then return the dish to the fridge for another 20 minutes till the icing has set. Lift the custard square out of the baking dish with the overhanging paper and cut into squares with a sharp knife.