A Celebration of Rhubarb
As some of my regular readers will know I LOVE rhubarb in all its forms and so when I came across Demijohn’s Rhubarb Liqueur Vodka I simply had to buy some! Having drunk a good proportion of it, I decided it would be perfect for a dessert and the result is a dish that would look great on any dining table.
The great thing about this recipe is that all the elements can be prepared a day in advance, making it ideal for dinner parties or for a special meal for a loved one. This dessert has everything a diner could ask for – crunch, sweetness, sharp notes, chewiness and vodka! What are you waiting for? Make this!
A Celebration of Rhubarb
Serves 6-8
For the rhubarb sorbet:
500g rhubarb
125g sugar
30ml rhubarb vodka
For the jelly:
225g caster sugar
½ litre water
4 gelatine leaves
oil, for greasing
50ml rhubarb vodka
For the vanilla meringues:
4 free-range egg whites
200g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, seeds only or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp cornflour
For the crumble:
100g butter, diced and brought to room temperature
100g plain flour
100g caster sugar
For the roasted rhubarb:
300g rhubarb, cut in 2cm/¾in pieces
1 tbsp caster sugar
6 tbsp rhubarb vodka
2 large sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked and torn
For the vanilla yoghurt:
100ml Greek yoghurt
30g icing sugar
½ vanilla pod, seeds only or ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
For the spun sugar:
100g caster sugar
For the rhubarb sorbet, place the rhubarb into a blender and blend to a purée. Place the purée in a pan with the sugar, 300g/10½oz water and the rhubarb vodka then bring to the boil. Once boiled, pass through a fine sieve and place in an ice cream churner or simply into a container in the freezer until frozen and set.
For the jelly, place the sugar and water into a pan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water in a small bowl. When the water has boiled, squeeze the water out of the gelatine, add to the pan and mix gently. Pass the mixture through a sieve into a bowl and allow to cool until it is just starting to thicken. Grease a baking tray with oil, then line with cling film. Pour the rhubarb vodka into the setting jelly mixture and then place in the fridge to set for about an hour or until needed.
For the vanilla meringues, preheat the oven to 110C/225F/Gas ¼. Whip the egg whites until stiff then add two-thirds of the sugar and continue to whisk for two minutes. Add the final third of the sugar with the vanilla seeds and whisk for another 30 seconds. Fold the vinegar and cornflour into the meringue and place into a piping bag with a plain nozzle. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pipe out the meringue in 3cm/1in diameter blobs. Bake the meringues in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until crisp but not coloured.
For the roasted rhubarb, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place the rhubarb in a roasting tin, sprinkle over the sugar, then drizzle over the rhubarb vodka and mint. Roast the rhubarb in the oven for 8-12 minutes, or until just tender.
For the crumble, preheat an oven to 160C/320F/Gas 3. Mix the sugar and flour together, then use your fingers to rub in the butter until the mixture forms a crumble-like texture. Line a baking tray with parchment and sprinkle the crumble mixture over, place into the oven for 10 minutes or until crunchy. Leave to cool. Once cooled, break into pieces blitz in a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs.
For the vanilla yoghurt, mix all the ingredients together.
For the spun sugar, melt the sugar, without stirring, in a small stainless steel pan over a medium heat. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper over your kitchen surface. Take care as the sugar will be very hot. When it turns a dark golden-brown remove from the heat. Leave to cool slightly, then, using the back of a fork, flick the caramel backwards and forward over the parchment paper. Gather the strands into rough ball shapes and leave on the parchment paper until needed.
To serve, place a line of crumble along the centre of the plate. Cut the jelly into cubes and dot around the plate. Also dot small piles of the roasted rhubarb and vanilla yoghurt on either side of the crumble line. Place a ball of spun at one end of the crumble and a scoop of sorbet at the other. Finish with a couple of the vanilla meringues.
TIP: This recipe will work well with any flavoured vodka so experiment aand vary the fruits you use!
Confession: I accidentally took my photo before the mini meringues were on the plate... Sorry! But I can assure you they were DELICIOUS!
The great thing about this recipe is that all the elements can be prepared a day in advance, making it ideal for dinner parties or for a special meal for a loved one. This dessert has everything a diner could ask for – crunch, sweetness, sharp notes, chewiness and vodka! What are you waiting for? Make this!
A Celebration of Rhubarb
Serves 6-8
For the rhubarb sorbet: 500g rhubarb
125g sugar
30ml rhubarb vodka
For the jelly:
225g caster sugar
½ litre water
4 gelatine leaves
oil, for greasing
50ml rhubarb vodka
For the vanilla meringues:
4 free-range egg whites
200g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, seeds only or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp cornflour
For the crumble:
100g butter, diced and brought to room temperature
100g plain flour
100g caster sugar
For the roasted rhubarb:
300g rhubarb, cut in 2cm/¾in pieces
1 tbsp caster sugar
6 tbsp rhubarb vodka
2 large sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked and torn
For the vanilla yoghurt:
100ml Greek yoghurt
30g icing sugar
½ vanilla pod, seeds only or ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
For the spun sugar:
100g caster sugar
For the rhubarb sorbet, place the rhubarb into a blender and blend to a purée. Place the purée in a pan with the sugar, 300g/10½oz water and the rhubarb vodka then bring to the boil. Once boiled, pass through a fine sieve and place in an ice cream churner or simply into a container in the freezer until frozen and set.
For the jelly, place the sugar and water into a pan and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water in a small bowl. When the water has boiled, squeeze the water out of the gelatine, add to the pan and mix gently. Pass the mixture through a sieve into a bowl and allow to cool until it is just starting to thicken. Grease a baking tray with oil, then line with cling film. Pour the rhubarb vodka into the setting jelly mixture and then place in the fridge to set for about an hour or until needed.
For the vanilla meringues, preheat the oven to 110C/225F/Gas ¼. Whip the egg whites until stiff then add two-thirds of the sugar and continue to whisk for two minutes. Add the final third of the sugar with the vanilla seeds and whisk for another 30 seconds. Fold the vinegar and cornflour into the meringue and place into a piping bag with a plain nozzle. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pipe out the meringue in 3cm/1in diameter blobs. Bake the meringues in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until crisp but not coloured.
For the roasted rhubarb, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place the rhubarb in a roasting tin, sprinkle over the sugar, then drizzle over the rhubarb vodka and mint. Roast the rhubarb in the oven for 8-12 minutes, or until just tender.
For the crumble, preheat an oven to 160C/320F/Gas 3. Mix the sugar and flour together, then use your fingers to rub in the butter until the mixture forms a crumble-like texture. Line a baking tray with parchment and sprinkle the crumble mixture over, place into the oven for 10 minutes or until crunchy. Leave to cool. Once cooled, break into pieces blitz in a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs.
For the vanilla yoghurt, mix all the ingredients together.
For the spun sugar, melt the sugar, without stirring, in a small stainless steel pan over a medium heat. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper over your kitchen surface. Take care as the sugar will be very hot. When it turns a dark golden-brown remove from the heat. Leave to cool slightly, then, using the back of a fork, flick the caramel backwards and forward over the parchment paper. Gather the strands into rough ball shapes and leave on the parchment paper until needed.
To serve, place a line of crumble along the centre of the plate. Cut the jelly into cubes and dot around the plate. Also dot small piles of the roasted rhubarb and vanilla yoghurt on either side of the crumble line. Place a ball of spun at one end of the crumble and a scoop of sorbet at the other. Finish with a couple of the vanilla meringues.
TIP: This recipe will work well with any flavoured vodka so experiment aand vary the fruits you use!
Confession: I accidentally took my photo before the mini meringues were on the plate... Sorry! But I can assure you they were DELICIOUS!
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