Rhubarb love

Hurrah - forced rhubarb is back on our shelves! It's delicately pink, full of flavour and delicious for cooking and eating. I picked up a bunch at a farm shop in Buckinghamshire today and will prepare it in my usual way - braised slowly in the oven its own juices (and a sprinkling of sugar).

I used to always boil rhubarb with water and sugar and often ended up with a slimy mess that looked like phlegm. It tasted ok, but nothing like when its baked in the oven. I discovered this little secret from Dan Lepard who shared the method in his column in The Guardian. It's not rocket science but when measured and cooked correctly - you will never go back. So, hat's off to Mr Lepard here for the measurements.

800 g chopped rhubarb
100 g of caster sugar

Set oven to 170 degrees C or 150 degrees C (fan forced oven). Chop the rhubarb stalks into lengths about 3-4 cms long. Place the chopped rhubarb in a shallow baking dish so that it is about one layer deep and sprinkle evenly with sugar. Cover the dish with foil. Bake in a warmed over for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool with the foil on (to retain the colour and moisture).

I have shared this method with family and friends and it is what helped me on my winning way preparing the Rhubarb Pie on Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard. When I was in New Zealand I shared it with my friend Gwyneth and her Mum who have been baking the stalks in the same way. They took some of their homecooked stalks into Sugar Juice Cafe recently and the final result ended up on sale - The Rhubarb and Apple Shortcake and Rhubarb Dream Slice look to die for! Take a look at the pictures below.

Try this method and you will never boil rhubarb ever again.

The winning recipe from Baking Mad

 









Rhubarb Pie with almond pastry 
topped with a lattice crust

Ingredients:

250g Plain Flour

50 g Icing sugar

150 g Unsalted butter

2 large eggs yolks

A pinch of salt

1 tablespoon cold water

1 tsp vanilla extract

50 g Ground almonds

Plus 2 tablespoons of ground almonds (for pastry base)

800 g rhubarb

2 tablespoons of cornflour

100 g caster sugar

Juice of half a lemon

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon icing sugar

Crème Fraiche to serve.

1 x 20cm fluted pie tin with loose base.

Method

Turn oven to 150C.

Sift the flour, icing sugar and salt into a large bowl. Cut the butter into pieces and rub this in. Stir in the ground almonds. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and some of the water, bringing the dough together. Break off about 1/4 and form into a small round disc, wrap in cling film. With the remaining dough, form into a round disc, and wrap this in cling film. Chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge or for speed for 15-20 minutes in the freezer.

Chop the rhubarb into 2cm pieces, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of caster sugar (from the 100g) and the juice of half a lemon and bake in a shallow dish covered with foil in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 160C. It’s done when just starting to soften. Do not overcook at this stage. Remove from oven and place to one side.

Turn oven to 180C

Grease the pie tin with a little butter (both the loose base and around the sides). Remove the large disc of dough from the freezer. Roll out on a floured surface until a little larger than the 20 cm loose bottomed tin. Lift the pastry using your rolling pin and carefully lay across the tin, pressing it into the base and sides. Remove the excess pastry by trimming with a knife or rolling pin. Prick the base of the pie with a fork in 3 or 4 places.

Lay baking paper to cover the pastry and fill with baking beans and blind bake in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, remove baking beans and coat the base with a little egg wash and bake for another 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of ground almond.

Mix the cornflour and 75 g caster sugar into the Rhubarb.  Place rhubarb into the pie case (as per picture).

Remove small disc of pastry and roll out flat, cut into 2 cm strips for lattice crust. Layer the lattice strips in a crisscross effect. 






Carefully egg wash the top and bake in the oven at 180 C for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove and present on a serving plate. Dust with a little icing sugar and serve with crème fraiche or ice cream.