RHUBARB AND CUSTARD PUDDING

Prep time 30 mins Cooking time 1 hour Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

750g (about 2 bunches) rhubarb, coarsely chopped

275g 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 stick

250g melted butter

125g brown sugar

4 eggs, separated

50ml buttermilk

200g plain flour

50g ground hazelnut

1 tsp baking powder Chopped roasted hazelnuts FOR THE CUSTARD

6 egg yolks

100g brown sugar

450ml single cream

150ml milk

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200°C. Mix rhubarb, 150g caster sugar, juices, vanilla seeds and cinnamon in a roasting pan and roast until tender, 25-30 mins, discard cinnamon and set aside. Meanwhile, prepare custard. Whisk yolks and sugar to combine. Bring cream, milk and vanilla bean to the simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat, then pour into the yolk mixture while whisking continuously. Return mixture to pan and stir continuously until it thickly coats the back of a spoon, 4-5 mins. Strain into a bowl, cover and refrigerate. Reduce oven to 180°C. Butter six 350ml ramekins, divide three-quarters of the 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 mins, beat in yolks and buttermilk, then fold in flour, hazelnuts and baking powder. Whisk egg whites 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 mins. Scatter with hazelnuts and serve hot with chilled custard and extra rhubarb.