Name: Rhubarb-hazelnut puddings with brown sugar-brandy custard
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 750 gm (about 2 bunches) rhubarb, coarsely chopped; 275 gm raw caster sugar; Juice and finely grated rind of 1 orange and ½ lemon; Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean (reserve bean for custard); 1 cinnamon quill; 250 gm melted butter; 125 gm brown sugar; 4 eggs, separated; 50 ml buttermilk; 200 gm plain flour; 50 gm hazelnut meal; 1 tsp baking powder; To serve: chopped roasted hazelnuts; Brown sugar-brandy custard; 6 egg yolks; 100 gm brown sugar; 450 ml pouring cream; 150 ml milk; 30 ml brandy

Rhubarb-hazelnut puddings with brown sugar-brandy custard

Warm pudding, chilled custard. Perfect.

Serves 6

Prep

30M

Cook

30M

Total

Ingredients

750 gm (about 2 bunches) rhubarb, coarsely chopped

275 gm raw caster sugar

Juice and finely grated rind of 1 orange and ½ lemon

Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean (reserve bean for custard)

1 cinnamon quill

250 gm melted butter

125 gm brown sugar

4 eggs, separated

50 ml buttermilk

200 gm plain flour

50 gm hazelnut meal

1 tsp baking powder

To serve: chopped roasted hazelnuts

Brown sugar-brandy custard

6 egg yolks

100 gm brown sugar

450 ml pouring cream

150 ml milk

30 ml brandy

Method

1.Preheat oven to 200C. Toss rhubarb, 150gm caster sugar, juices, vanilla seeds and cinnamon in a roasting pan and roast until tender (25-30 minutes), discard cinnamon and set aside.

2.Meanwhile, for custard, whisk yolks and sugar in a bowl to combine. Bring cream, milk, brandy and vanilla bean to the simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat, then pour into yolk mixture while whisking continuously. Return mixture to pan and stir continuously until it thickly coats the back of a spoon (4-5 minutes). Strain into a bowl, cover and refrigerate to chill.

3.Reduce oven to 180C. Butter six 350ml shallow ovenproof bowls or ramekins, spoon a little rhubarb and syrup into each, then pour 60ml custard into each. Beat butter, brown sugar, rinds and remaining caster sugar in a bowl until pale (1-2 minutes), beat in yolks and buttermilk, then fold in flour, hazelnut meal and baking powder. Whisk eggwhites with a pinch of salt in a bowl to soft peaks, fold into batter, then spoon into ramekins. Bake until golden and centre springs back when gently pressed (25-30 minutes). Scatter with hazelnuts and serve hot with chilled brown sugar-brandy custard and extra rhubarb.

Styling by Emma Knowles

Styling by Lucy Tweed