RHUBARB PUDDING

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES (+ STANDING) SERVES 8

470g trimmed rhubarb stalks

¾ cup (165g) raw caster sugar (see tips on page 25)

450g brioche loaf (see tips on page 25)

90g butter, softened

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

180g white chocolate, finely chopped

1 vanilla bean

5 eggs

2 cups (500ml) pouring cream

1½ cups (375ml) milk

2 teaspoons icing sugar

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan.

2 Cut rhubarb into 6cm lengths. Place rhubarb in a 4-litre (16-cup) ovenproof dish; sprinkle with ¼ cup of the raw caster sugar. Roast, covered, for 25 minutes or until just tender. Transfer half the rhubarb to a medium bowl.

3 Meanwhile, trim ends from brioche; cut loaf into 1.5cm-thick slices. Combine 70g of the butter with the cardamom in a bowl. Spread butter mixture onto brioche slices; sprinkle three-quarters of the chocolate over brioche, then sandwich slices together.

4 Arrange brioche sandwiches, overlapping, on roasted rhubarb in ovenproof dish. Top with remaining rhubarb and remaining chocolate.

5 Split vanilla bean in half lengthways; scrape out seeds into a jug. Add eggs, ¼ cup of the remaining raw caster sugar, the cream and milk; whisk to combine. Pour half the cream mixture over brioche; stand until mixture has soaked into brioche. Pour remaining cream mixture over brioche; dot with remaining butter, sprinkle with the remaining raw caster sugar.

6 Place ovenproof dish in a large baking dish; add enough boiling water to come halfway up side of ovenproof dish.

7 Bake pudding for 30 minutes or until just set. Remove ovenproof dish from baking dish; stand pudding for 10 minutes. Serve dusted with sifted icing sugar.