Growing your own rhubarb this year? When it’s ready to harvest try The Oxfordshire Gardener’s twist on this comforting, classic springtime dessert.
Whilst rhubarb remains the star of this recipe, its tartness is mellowed by the addition of soft, sweet pears and a dusting of ginger brings a little spice to warm up ‘still chilly’ nights.
Ingredients:
Serves 3-4
For the filling:
- 300g rhubarb
- 2 ripe pears
- A good drizzle of golden syrup
- A sprinkling of sugar
- Zest & juice of 1/2 an orange
- Pinch of ground ginger (to taste)
For the crumble topping:
- 100g plain flour
- 50g butter
- 50g Demerara sugar
Method:
- Rub together butter and flour until they resemble breadcrumbs. Stir in the demerara sugar.
- Prepare the rhubarb by trimming and cutting the stalks into slices approximately 2.5cms in length.
- Chop the pears into rough chunks.
- Add the prepared rhubarb and pears onto a roasting tray, sprinkle fruit with sugar and a drizzle all over with golden syrup.
- Roast for approximately 8 mins at 170c or until the fruit is par-cooked (i.e. soft on the outside but still firm in the middle).
- At the same time, spread the crumble topping onto a large baking tray and bake at the same temperature for 8-10 mins. Allow it cool.
- Remove fruit from oven, turn the rhubarb, squeeze orange juice and zest over the fruit. Sprinkle of sugar, then spoon into a dish and cover with crumble mix.
- Cook for about 30-40mins at 170c until the crumble is golden and pears are cooked through.
- Serve with lashings of custard or scoops of ice cream…or both!
New to growing your own? Let The Oxfordshire Gardener give you a guiding hand. Watch our ‘Grow with Us’ series of how-to videos on our YouTube Channel here.
Or you can view Simon’s guide to planting rhubarb here:
