Rhubarb and almond puddings with rhubarb ripple cream
200g rhubarb
1 tablespoon grenadine
75g castor sugar
100ml water
Cut the rhubarb into 2cm pieces. Place the sugar, water and grenadine in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Add the rhubarb and cook gently until just soft. Scoop out the rhubarb and place in 4 large buttered ramekins ( or 6 smaller ones) and set oven to 180oc. Drain the liquid into a saucepan and boil to a thick syrup and cool.
180g melted butter
90g soft brown sugar
90g castor sugar
3 eggs
40ml buttermilk
40g ground almonds
150g plain flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Whisk the butter and sugars until pale. Add the egg yolks and place the whites in a separate clean bowl. Whisk the yolks in and then add the flour, almonds, buttermilk, vanilla and baking powder – whisk to a smooth batter. Whisk the egg whites with a clean whisk to stiff peaks. Take a third of the egg white and mix well into the egg yolk mixture – you can be vigorous at this stage. Fold in another third gently until incorporated and then fold in the final third. Spoon onto the rhubarb in the ramekins – leaving a gap at the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until well risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Rhubarb ripple cream
350ml double cream
Rhubarb syrup from poaching liquor
Whisk the cream to soft peaks and fold in the rhubarb syrup in a swirl.
Serve with the hot puddings.
