There’s something so very English about the tart taste of rhubarb. If you’re lucky enough to have rhubarb growing in your garden then make sure it doesn’t go to waste with these delicious recipes for sharp summer treats!
Rhubarb and Custard Slice
SERVES 12
Prep time: 20 mins, plus chilling
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients
For the base
250g plain flour
1 ½tsp Dr Oetker Baking Powder
200g caster sugar
125g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg
1tbsp of water
For the filling
90ml of water
50g caster sugar
800g rhubarb, cut into 6cm lengths
½tsp Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Natural Extract / Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Bean Paste
1 egg yolk
250ml double cream
75g caster sugar
3 medium eggs, 1 egg yolk
800g rhubarb, cut into 6cm lengths
250ml double cream
To serve
a dusting of icing sugar
Method:
1. For the base; mix the flour, Baking Powder and 200g of the sugar, rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Beat one of the eggs with 1tbsp of water then mix in using a butter knife. Then, without overworking, bring the mixture together with your hands to make a smooth dough. Cover and leave in the fridge for 30 mins.
2. For the filling; in a wide pan bring 90ml of water mixed with 50g of sugar to the boil, reduce to a simmer then add the rhubarb in a single layer (you may need to do two batches), cover and cook for 3-4 mins until just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate to cool. In a jug mix the rest of the sugar, the eggs and yolk, cream and Vanilla Extract until just combined, set aside.
3. Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan, gas 4. Grease a 20cm x 30cm tray-bake or brownie tin. Take a sheet of baking parchment big enough to line the whole tin, trace the base of the tin in the middle then roll the dough out to cover it. Trim and reserve the excess pieces of dough. Snip from the tip of the parchment to the tip of the dough in each corner then set into the tin, tidy up the parchment and gently press the dough to the edges. Bake for 20 mins.
4. Turn the oven down to 150C, 130C fan, gas 2. Carefully press strips of the reserved dough all along the edges of the tin the seal in the dough after any shrinkage from baking. Scatter the rhubarb, pour over the custard and bake for 40 mins or until the centre is set but with a slight wobble. Cool for at least 30 mins.
TIP – bubble down the leftover rhubarb juices until reduced by half. Use as a drizzling syrup on pancakes or freeze in ice-cube trays and add to drinks.
Rhubarb and Custard Muffins
12 MUFFINS
Cooking time: 55 MINS
Ingredients:
Dr. Oetker Muffin Cases
Rhubarbs (2 Thin stalks pink rhubarb approx. 200g/7oz trimmed and finely chopped)
225g Plain Flour (8oz)
2 Dr. Oetker Baking Powder Sachets (x2 sachet, 10g/2 tsp)
115g Caster Sugar (4oz)
Large Egg (x1 beaten)
115g Butter (4oz, melted)
150ml Whole Milk (1/4 pt)
10g Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Paste (2 tsp)
200g Fresh Vanilla Custard (7oz, cold thick vanilla custard + extra to serve if liked)
40g Demerara Sugar (1 ½ oz)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 190˚C (170˚C fan assisted oven, 375˚F, gas mark 5). Put the Muffin Cases in 12 muffin tins. Sift the flour and Baking Powder into a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar. Make a well in the centre.
- In a jug, mix the egg, melted butter, milk and Vanilla Paste together. Pour into the well, add 150g (5oz) the rhubarb and mix all the ingredients together to make a thick batter.
- Spoon some of the mixture equally between the cases to ¼ fill the cases and make a slight indent in the centre. Spoon in a dollop of custard then spoon the rest of the muffin batter on top. Smooth over the tops to cover the custard, sprinkle each with the remaining rhubarb and Demerara sugar.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Your muffins are now ready to serve and enjoy – delicious served warm or cold – with extra custard if you like!
Rhubarb and Raspberry Rainbow Meringue
Serves 8-10
Prep time: 25 minutes plus cooling
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
4 sachets of Dr. Oetker Free Range Egg White Powder
250g (plus 50g) caster sugar
A few drops of Dr. Oetker Food Colour Gel Blue
A few drops of Dr. Oetker Food Colour Gel Pink
A few drops of Dr. Oetker Food Colour Gel Violet
A few drops of Dr. Oetker Food Colour Gel Orange
400g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths
200g raspberries
330ml whipping cream
Method
- Put the egg white powder in a bowl, mix with 8tsp of warm water until smooth, gradually mix in 8tsp of warm water until combined.
- Heat the oven to 140C, 120C fan, gas 2. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment and draw 4 x 17cm circles on each of them to use as templates.
- Whisk the eggs on a low speed at first, turning up the speed gradually to medium, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add 250g of the sugar 1tbsp at a time mixing well after each addition. Divide the meringue between 4 bowls and very gently fold into each, a few drops from one of the food colouring gels. Using a spatula, spread each mixture into a template on the baking sheets. Bake for 45 mins then leave to cool in the oven.
- Meanwhile in a wide saucepan heat the remaining sugar and 2tbsp of water until melted and, add the rhubarb and turn up the heat slightly. Poach for 6 mins of until tender. Using a slotted spoon transfer the tender rhubarb to a plate and the juices to a small saucepan, bubble for a few mins or until syrupy. Once cooled mix with the rhubarb and raspberries.
- Whip the cream until softly peaking. Put one of the meringues on a serving dish spread with some of the cream, then drizzle over some of the rhubarb and raspberry mixture and juices, repeat with the remaining layers leaving the top plain.
